Geoff Calabrese leaves Omnicom to become commercial director of Publicis Groupe

Geoff Calabrese is leaving Omnicom and will join Publicis Groupe as commercial director of the holding company.

Calabrese, who most recently served as managing director of North America investments at Omnicom Media Group, will oversee client commercial engagements across new and existing partnerships, and be responsible for the development and implementation of commercial agreements .

Beginning in spring 2025, Calabrese will report to Dave Penski, CEO Connected Media and member of the Group Executive Committee, and Lou Rossi, CFO Connected Media.

In his new role, Calabrese will also focus on driving business models, covering agency compensation, performance incentives, media value guarantees, integration of technologies and tools including the benefits of AI and commercial working capital agreements.

In his previous role at OMG, where he spent more than 15 years, Calabrese oversaw the investments and activation of more than $20 billion across all media channels and led many of OMG’s key strategic business units, notably Optimum Sports and Outdoor Media Group. Prior to that, he was chief investment officer at NA; president of OMent, Omnicom’s main purchasing unit; and Chief Accountability Officer, where he helped manage OMG’s customer savings programs.

“In this increasingly fragmented media landscape, Geoff’s influence and leadership will be instrumental as we build the future of results-based marketing, having led major investment deals and negotiations involving the most major brands and partners,” Penski said in a statement.

Calabrese’s appointment comes just weeks after Omnicom struck a deal to take over the Interpublic Groupalthough this was not cited as the reason Calabrese left OMG.

OMG North America recently launched PhD Director Katie Klein as Chief Investment Officer to succeed Calabrese, who had already announced his departure from the company.