UM, IPG’s media agency, has appointed Erin Quintana, the Chief Client Officer and a 15-year veteran of the company, as its new U.S. CEO. Quintana is taking over from Joe DiMiero, who assumed the role of U.S. CEO in January 2022 but faced challenges marked by client losses, management concerns, and high-level executive departures.
DiMiero, reportedly absent from expected meetings for weeks, has taken a leave of absence, according to a representative, without providing details. Notably, his name was omitted from the Dec. 8 press release announcing Quintana’s promotion.
During DiMiero’s tenure, there were at least three rounds of layoffs in 2023, with internal sources attributing the loss of clients Nationwide and Zillow to him. Some sources claim he operated a shadow leadership team from Dallas, where he was based, describing him as ineffective with no presence.
Sources suggest DiMiero faced issues with Eileen Kiernan, the global CEO of Mediabrands, the umbrella organization for UM alongside Mediahub, Initiative, and Magna. Kiernan had hired DiMiero in 2022, but details of his departure remain unclear.
Quintana, praised for her robust client relationships, will report to UM’s global CEO Andrea Suarez, who assumed the role after Sasha Savic’s sudden departure earlier this summer. Quintana previously led account management and played a key role in winning UM the global General Mills business, holding positions such as EVP, Global Client Lead, overseeing accounts like Johnson & Johnson and American Express.
