World digital company Dept is increasing its U.S. management crew because it prepares to open a New York headquarters in early 2026, ADWEEK has discovered.

The company, backed by personal fairness agency The Carlyle Group, has named Sam Lewis, former CEO of WPP’s T&P, as CEO of artistic & media within the Americas. Lewis’ remit covers half of Dept’s regional income, and he joins at a second when the company is reporting double-digit development in comparison with the identical time final yr. Headcount has risen extra modestly, rising between 5% and 6% year-over-year throughout Dept’s international crew of greater than 4,000 staff.

“The trendy advertising panorama requires extra built-in providers, whether or not artistic and media or engineering and expertise,” Lewis informed ADWEEK. “Dept is uniquely positioned with a workforce that’s half artistic experience and half engineers to benefit from that.”

Alongside Lewis, Dept has introduced on a number of senior leaders from rival companies. Angela Seits, previously managing director of technique and insights at PMG, joins as vp of technique. Eric Druckenmiller, who beforehand held management roles at Edelman and Anomaly, additionally joins as vp of technique. And Greer Oliver, who oversaw the worldwide Google account at R/GA, has been employed as vp, consumer companion.

Carryn Quibell, CEO of Dept Americas, mentioned the company’s development is being fueled by a mixture of new and expanded accounts, together with Snap, Arcadis, and OneDigital, alongside long-term transformation initiatives for what he referred to as “the most effective recognized AI firms on this planet” and “one of many largest skilled providers firms on this planet,” although she declined to call these shoppers.

Quibell emphasised that the company’s technique is centered on promoting built-in options slightly than piecemeal capabilities.

“We’re promoting enterprise options which are going to drive enterprise influence,” she mentioned. “We’re not the dimensions of the holdco, however we now have this bizarre juxtaposition of scale, the place we’re a worldwide company and might tackle the largest firms on this planet. However we’re additionally not so large that we are able to’t transfer quick.”

That built-in method is mirrored in the kind of work Dept has been successful. Whereas latest wins aren’t structured as conventional international AOR assignments, Quibell described them as long-term, multidisciplinary, built-in engagements. She mentioned roughly 90% of latest enterprise is built-in throughout a number of disciplines, spanning artistic, media, knowledge, and know-how.

The company can be making ready to increase its bodily footprint with the opening of a New York headquarters in February 2026. “We actually want a beachhead in New York,” Lewis mentioned. “We wish to be certain that it’s interactive and immersive, reflective of our model, but in addition a spot for companions, shoppers, and media.”

Quibell added that Dept’s newest hires had been chosen for his or her skill to suppose strategically throughout disciplines and assist lead the company’s subsequent section of development. “Trendy manufacturers want fashionable companies,” she mentioned. “We really imagine they’ll be constructed by combining the very best expertise with the very best know-how.”