Alycia Mason appointed CEO of Wavemaker US

GroupM, Alycia Mason, Wavemaker US, CEO, appointment, media agency, leadership, digital transformation, marketing, advertising, client relationships, industry change, innovation, media experience,

GroupM today announced the appointment of Alycia Mason as CEO of Wavemaker US, the #1 global media agency network for new business in 2023 according to COMvergence. Mason will lead the agency’s US operations and client relationships and will begin at the end of July. She will join the Global Wavemaker Leadership team; as well as the GroupM North America Leadership Team, and report to Sharb Farjami, CEO of GroupM North America.

Farjami said,

“Alycia is a proven leader and change agent with an impressive track record of enhancing customer experiences and delivering impactful business results,”
“Her digital expertise, strategic mindset, brand savvy, and experience leading large, integrated teams make her the ideal leader to drive growth for Wavemaker US. Her forward-thinking leadership and brand-side perspective will be invaluable to our entire organization.”

Mason brings decades of experience driving marketing and digital transformation for major brands, leading them to operational excellence and success. She most recently served as Field Vice President at McDonald’s, leading a multi-state organization to support 1,000 restaurant locations and billions of dollars in sales. She ascended to this role after being named the first McDonald’s Chief US Customer Experience Officer in 2022, spearheading the company’s digital transformation across its apps, delivery services, and in-restaurant kiosks.

Mason said,

“In my career, I have always been passionate about leading brands and teams through transformative industry change, and this next chapter will be no exception,”
“I am drawn to Wavemaker’s inventive culture and am excited to lead the industry-leading talent who consistently push the boundaries of the modern media experience. Together, we will work alongside our advertisers to achieve stellar business results and meaningfully impact the audiences and businesses they care most about.”

Toby Jenner, Global CEO, Wavemaker, and Global President, GroupM Clients said,

“Alycia is a trailblazer with extensive experience and deep understanding of the challenges global brands face today. She is uniquely poised to support our clients in making business-critical decisions at the intersection of revenue and technology to secure their future growth,”
“I’m excited to work with her and look forward to seeing her lead Wavemaker in the US into its next successful chapter, by positively provoking, innovative solutions for both our clients and our people.”

Before McDonald’s, Mason spent nearly seven years at Publicis Groupe, most recently as EVP Managing Director and North America Publicis Groupe Lead for Kellogg’s. Her agency experience also includes leadership roles at Starcom, Mindshare, and OMD, working with clients such as Kraft, BP, Castrol, JCPenney, and Dell.

Mason is the co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of an innovative confectionery startup, Candycopia, she launched in 2021 with her family. She is also a board member of the Chicago Children’s Museum and was named to Ad Age’s Leading Women in 2022.

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Netra: Netra is a Dual Masters graduate in International Business and Marketing. She is a content-writing enthusiast and a social media addict. In her downtime, you will find her headbanging to Pop songs from around the world. She is also a sports fanatic and especially loves F1, Volleyball, and Cricket. Her hobbies are baking and watching Anime.