Agency agenda: Tony Harradine outlines Omnicom Media APAC's post-deal plan

As Omnicom Media settles into its new reality following the landmark acquisition of Interpublic Group (IPG), Asia Pacific CEO Tony Harradine is focused on one thing, and that is giving the business clarity and momentum for what comes next.

In the season 2 premiere of Marketing Connected’s Agency Agenda podcast, he listed out the three priorities at the top of his agenda. First, landing a new operating model that gives teams across the region a clear roadmap. Harradine said providing “clarity and the confidence to move ahead” is critical, particularly after months of uncertainty.

Second, he wants the network to take ownership of innovation in a fast-moving region. With Asia Pacific at the forefront of technological and consumer change, Harradine sees an opportunity for Omnicom Media to lead conversations around what comes next.

We're in one of the most dynamic and exciting regions in the world. I want to make sure we live up to that.

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Catch the full interview here on YouTube:

Third, and most importantly, is talent. As the combined entity doubles in scale, nurturing and retaining talent remains central. Harradine emphasised the need to “nurture, grow and lock in best-in-class talent,” noting that people remain the backbone of the business, even as technology evolves.

That evolution is increasingly shaped by AI, but Harradine is clear that Omnicom does not intend to simply mirror competitors. While many holding companies are building similar “AI spines”, he framed AI as an enabler rather than a differentiator in itself.

“The differentiation is in what you build, how you build it, and what you plug into it,” he explained, pointing to proprietary data, architecture and the people driving these systems as key factors. AI, in his view, should empower teams by automating heavy lifting and accelerating insights, freeing them to focus on higher-value strategic work.

“It’s more of an empowerment tool than a replacement,” he added, pushing back on the notion of agencies becoming purely tech-driven operations.

At the same time, Harradine is working to address concerns from both talent and shareholders in the wake of the merger. With industry speculation and uncertainty running high during the integration phase, his immediate priority has been to stabilise teams and maintain confidence. He said:

Our business is only as strong as the people within it.

Underscoring the importance of reassurance and transparency. As more details of the new structure are rolled out, he believes confidence is returning, with employees gaining a clearer sense of their role in the future organisation.

For shareholders, Harradine has taken a pragmatic stance. Delivering value ultimately depends on delivering for clients. "The number one priority is to ensure that we’re delivering for them, otherwise we don’t have any value to give back," he said, reinforcing that growth and performance remain tightly linked to client outcomes. 

The US$13 billion acquisition, finalised late last year, marks a seismic shift for the industry, bringing together two of the world’s largest agency networks. For Harradine, the focus now is on execution, combining infrastructure, aligning cultures and unlocking scale across a complex Asia Pacific landscape.

While integration will take time, he remains optimistic that the combined strength of Omnicom and IPG will create a more competitive and future-ready organisation.

We're very excited with what's happening, and what's to come. There's lot of work being done to bring our infrastructure together, but IPG and Omnicom share strong cultural similarities, so I think it's a great fit.

Also tune in to the full conversation on Spotify:

Tune into the rest of this conversation on your favourite podcast platforms, by searching up Marketing Connected. For all the visual people out there, we’ve got your back as well, with our vodcasts on YouTube.

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