• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, December 15, 2015

Carat, the Dentsu Aegis Network media shop, has reshuffled its global leadership team. Will Swayne has been appointed president, Carat Global effective in January -- succeeding Doug Ray, who has been president of both Carat Global and CEO Carat US. Ray will now refocus on Carat US, continuing as CEO, and report to Rob Horler, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network US.

Under Ray’s leadership, Carat has grown to become the world’s third-largest media agency network by billings, according to RECMA, and the fourth-largest in the U.S., from seventh in three years. Last month Carat was named the top media agency network by RECMA in its global qualitative evaluation, for the fifth time in the last six reports. 

In the U.S., Carat has won close to $1.5 billion in new billings this year from clients including P&G, Mondelez and Pfizer. 

“Our momentum, particularly in the U.S. over the past five years, has been tremendous, and the size and scale of Carat today now requires dedicated leadership both locally and globally to continue to deliver on our vision and our commitment to redefine media on behalf of our clients. I am looking forward to refocusing on my U.S. role,” said Ray. “I’m incredibly proud of all that Will and I have achieved so far and look forward to continued success,” he added.

Swayne and Ray have worked closely together for the past six years, with Swayne most recently Dentsu Aegis Network’s Global Client President for P&G. Swayne will be based in London and will report to Peter Huijboom, CEO Global Clients and Media Brands, Dentsu Aegis Network.

Swayne joined Aegis Media in 2000, as part of Carat International. In 2005 he moved to Asia and became MD of Carat Hong Kong before transferring to the U.S. in 2009 to take responsibility for Carat's P&G Gillette business in North America. While in the US Will took responsibility for all of Carat’s P&G North America business and in 2012 was promoted to MD Carat U.S. East. He was appointed Global Client President for P&G in January 2014, and since then the agency has added P&G media assignments in Italy, Canada, Brazil, Spain and North America, as well as growing its digital and creative contracts.