I&S BBDO bolsters leadership with senior promotions

Japanese agency I&S BBDO has bolstered its leadership team with two internal promotions, effective 1 October, as part of its ongoing growth strategy.

As part of the shift, Yoshihiro Nagai (pictured left), currently president and representative director, will step into the role of chairman & CEO, representative director. Meanwhile, Kenji Kuboshita (pictured right), executive officer and managing director, has been appointed president, director.

Nagai began his career at Dentsu in 1985, holding several key executive roles across the group’s international operations before joining I&S BBDO in 2018. He advanced from executive officer to president, director, and was named president and representative director in 2021. Drawing on his global business experience, Nagai has played a pivotal role in accelerating the company’s growth and steering its ongoing transformation.

In his new role as chairman & CEO, Nagai will oversee the three entities within the I&S BBDO group in Japan while collaborating closely with the global Omnicom network to drive sustainable growth and enhance corporate value.

Kuboshita first joined I&S BBDO in 1990, managing marketing and communications for domestic and international clients. From 2004 to 2019, he held senior leadership positions at Havas Worldwide Japan (now Havas Japan), including client services director and business director. He rejoined I&S BBDO in 2019 and was named executive officer in 2022.

Bringing over 35 years of agency experience, Kuboshita will oversee overall operations at I&S BBDO as president and director. Working alongside other Omnicom Group companies in Japan, he will focus on expanding the agency's integrated solutions for clients.

Under the new leadership structure, the agency plans to leverage its position within Omnicom’s connected growth platform in Japan—combining its creative heritage with the scale, data, and technology of the broader network.

Nagai said, "Kuboshita has made valuable contributions to our clients and our business through a variety of leadership roles. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to build on the strong foundation of I&S BBDO." 

Sean Donovan, president of Omnicom Advertising, Asia, added, “Nagai's leadership has been instrumental in shaping I&S BBDO, and this transition to Chairman & CEO is a fitting recognition of the legacy he's built over the years. Kuboshita has been at the heart of that journey, and I have complete confidence in his ability to build on this foundation and take the agency into an exciting new chapter.”  

Kuboshita said, “Building on I&S BBDO’s longstanding strengths in creativity and deep client understanding, I look forward to leading the company into its next phase of growth. In an increasingly dynamic and complex marketplace, we remain committed to using the power of creativity to solve our clients’ business challenges and serving as a trusted partner that contributes to their continued success.” 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to I&S BBDO for more information.

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