Marty O’Halloran steps down from global CEO role at DDB Worldwide and continues as global chairman; Alex Lubar takes the reigns as CEO

Omnicom has today announced the elevation of Alex Lubar (centre) as global CEO of DDB Worldwide. Lubar succeeds current Aussie-born global CEO Marty O’Halloran (left) who will continue as chairman. In addition, Glen Lomas (right) currently CEO, DDB EMEA, based in London, becomes global president and chief operating officer in partnership with Lubar.

O’Halloran has been with DDB for 38 years, the majority of which was spent growing DDB across Australia and New Zealand. Prior to his role as global CEO in 2020, he was chair of DDB Group AUNZ.

Says John Wren, chairman and CEO, Omnicom: “We are pleased to announce these changes as DDB has reclaimed its title of being one of the top creative agencies in the world, including 2023 Cannes Network of the Year. Marty’s dedication to DDB has made him an integral part of the network’s culture and operations, and we thank him for his strong leadership during the past four years as CEO. With extensive global leadership credentials within the industry, we are confident that Alex, supported by Glen, will continue to elevate the network and build upon its legacy of creative excellence.”

Lubar was appointed president and chief operating officer of DDB Worldwide last October 2022, following ten years at McCann. He held several regional leadership roles during the course of his time there including president, McCann North America, head of McCann’s Asia Pacific region, and CEO of McCann London.

Says Lubar: “Since its inception, DDB has unlocked the power of human emotion to make millions of different people change how they behave, feel, and transact with brands and businesses around the world. We believe that creativity, in all its modern forms, has the power to profoundly transform our clients’ businesses. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead Bill Bernbach’s legacy into the future with such a talented global staff and leadership team who all share the same vision.”

Lomas has unparalleled international client experience at DDB having been CEO of Europe, Middle East, and Africa, DDB’s largest region and with the network since 1995. Based in London, he is responsible for the EMEA region and has built successful client teams across geographies while creating an environment where creativity and effectiveness flourish across the network.

Says Lomas: “It has always been a privilege to work at DDB and it is a great honor to take on this role. DDB has always been where brilliant, unpretentious people turn up each day to apply their creativity to solving problems. The problems and solutions change, but that culture doesn’t. I love what this network is capable of when it comes together, as demonstrated this year at Cannes, and Alex and I are here to ensure that spirit continues and the network keeps evolving to attract the most ambitious talent and clients.”