IPG's Andy Polansky to Retire in June
CommPRO Editorial Staff
Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) announced today that, following a prolific and successful career spanning nearly four decades, Andy Polansky, IPG DXTRA CEO and Weber Shandwick Executive Chairman, will retire in June of this year.Over the course of his long tenure within IPG, Polansky has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick, including President and CEO, and more recently as Executive Chairman. Under his leadership, Weber Shandwick cemented its position as a global public relations powerhouse and one of the world’s largest and most awarded public relations firms.Polansky and the strong leadership team he assembled, including Weber Shandwick’s current CEO Gail Heimann, were the architects behind the broadening of the firm’s services during an era of profound digital disruption and heightened global demand for innovative public relations and strategic communications.In July 2019, Polansky was named Chairman and CEO of IPG DXTRA (formerly the Constituency Management Group), a global collective of marketing services and agency brands anchored by Weber Shandwick, Golin, Octagon, FutureBrand and Jack Morton. Polansky led the delivery of agile, integrated solutions for clients, drawn from the group’s expertise across public relations, experiential, sports and entertainment marketing, branding, digital experience, social content, influencer marketing and more.Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of IPG, commented: “IPG, IPG DXTRA, Weber Shandwick, so many of our clients and the marketing services industry as a whole are all better for Andy’s humanity, integrity and vision. By leading with values and always putting people first, Andy became one of the most powerful voices in marketing services and public relations. The strong businesses and teams he built are testament to his approach to leading with directness and compassion.”As part of this planned transition, Polansky will remain CEO and Chairman of IPG DXTRA and Executive Chairman of Weber Shandwick through June 2022.“It’s been a privilege to work alongside the brightest talent and most innovative client partners during what has been an unforgettable journey,” Polansky said. “I look forward to passing the baton to other great IPG leaders to guide our organization to continued success.”Polansky added, "I am extremely proud of how our teams across IPG DXTRA responded over the past few years to support each other and our clients as we all adapted to new ways of working. It has been an incredible experience to see the power of our collective expertise when we come together to solve for our clients."
