• by Larissa Faw , November 30, 2017

Publicis Groupe is jettisoning the co-CEO structure at digital unit Publicis.Sapient.

Alan Wexler, current Co-CEO, will become the lone CEO at the top of the organization at the beginning of the new year. Chip Register, the other current C0-CEO, is retiring at the end of 2017.

The two executives were both elevated to their joint-leadership roles under a November 2016 management reorganization that grouped SapientRazorfish, DigitasLBi and Sapient Consulting under the Publicis.Sapient umbrella.

Wexler's second previous role as CEO of SapientRazorfish will end under this new reorganization as the Groupe removes the global CEO roles for all of its brands. 

As solo chief, an initial priority for Wexler will be working with Nigel Vaz, who takes on the new role of CEO of Publicis.Sapient International (formerly global president of DigitasLBi) and who is responsible for organizing digital and technology capabilities into industry practice verticals within Publicis.Sapient.

"It is a key endeavor to strengthen our 'Digital Business Transformation' offer, and this will be the primary objective for Alan and Nigel in their respective roles," stated Arthur Sadoun, chairman, CEO, Publicis Groupe. Vaz will continue to report to Wexler, and both will continue to serve on the Publicis Groupe executive committee.

Even though Register is stepping away from his day-to-day responsibility, he will still remain within the Groupe's broader family. Publicis Groupe is sponsoring his passion project, the non-profit Digital Engagement Center for the Prevention of Violence that he established with his wife, Andrea to identify and influence at-risk individuals exposed to messages that encourage violent behaviors.