Tuesday, 16/12/08

Stephen Allan named Media Achiever of the Year

 

Stephen Allan has been named Media Achiever of the Year by Campaign magazine, the UK advertising journal.

Media achiever of the year

The award comes at the end of a year in which Allan became chairman and chief executive of MediaCom Worldwide, an appointment that Campaign said "marked…the opening of the next chapter in a remarkable media career". Campaign noted Allan's role in leading MediaCom's UK office to the number one slot as chief executive of the agency from 1999 to 2005, and his subsequent success in shaping GroupM into "a grown-up media powerhouse" as UK chief executive.

Although MediaCom is part of the world's largest marketing services group, WPP, Campaign highlighted the "entrepreneurial zeal" that has driven Allan's career, from his early days running the pioneering UK media independent The Media Business, alongside the company's founder Allan Rich. It was the 1999 merger with The Media Business that kick-started the astonishing new business run that propelled MediaCom's London office over the £1 billion billings mark. Allan's team-building skills also received a special mention, with many of MediaCom's key management roles filled by executives who have worked alongside Allan for many years, thus lending stability and continuity to the network and its clients. In his latest role, Allan has already stated his determination to make MediaCom the number one network in the world - echoing his success in the UK.