Major shuffle at Ogilvy as Kent Wertime retires, Chris Reitermann steps back from APAC role

Ogilvy is reshuffling its leadership ranks in Asia Pacific and globally as long-time APAC co-CEOs Kent Wertime and Chris Reitermann step away from their regional roles after a decade leading the network together.

Wertime (pictured left) will retire from the agency at the end of June, stepping down from his positions as co-CEO of Ogilvy APAC, global chief operating officer of Ogilvy and global chief executive officer of Ogilvy One. Meanwhile, Reitermann (pictured right) will transition away from his role as co-CEO of Ogilvy APAC to focus fully on his position as CEO of WPP Greater China.

The pair have jointly led Ogilvy APAC since 2016, overseeing the agency through a period of digital transformation, regional expansion and market evolution.

Don’t miss: Agency agenda: Ogilvy ASEAN CEO Kunal Jeswani on his 3 big bets for 2026

Wertime joined Ogilvy in 1999 as CEO of Ogilvy Interactive Asia Pacific, emerging as one of the network’s earliest advocates for digital transformation. Over the years, he took on a series of regional and global leadership roles, eventually becoming one of the few executives within the network to simultaneously hold senior positions across APAC and the global business.

“Wertime is a true Ogilvy giant,” Laurent Ezekiel, global CEO of Ogilvy, said. “Over his 27 years with the agency, he has demonstrated a rare combination of vision, sharp commercial acumen, and steady leadership. From pioneering our early digital transformation in Asia to simultaneously holding three of the most demanding roles in our global network, Wertime’s impact on our business and our clients is immeasurable.”

Ezekiel added that successors for Wertime’s global roles will be announced at a later date.

Wertime said it had been “the privilege of a lifetime” to help lead the agency across both regional and global markets.

“I have had the honour of working alongside some of the most brilliant minds in our industry worldwide,” Wertime said.

“My deepest gratitude goes to our clients and the entire Ogilvy family globally and in APAC. I leave with absolute confidence in the talent, character, and ambition of this global network as it steps into its next chapter,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Reitermann will remain within the WPP network, focusing his attention on driving growth and integration efforts in Greater China.

“Leading Ogilvy APAC alongside Kent has been an extraordinary journey,” Reitermann said. “As I transition to focus entirely on driving WPP’s growth and integration in Greater China, I am incredibly proud of what we have built together." 

In the interim, the APAC leadership responsibilities previously shared by Wertime and Reitermann will be assumed by the regional leadership team, which will work alongside local market leaders and Ogilvy’s global headquarters to oversee the transition.

The leadership changes come amid wider organisational shifts across WPP in the region. Earlier this week, the group finalised its creative leadership structure across ASEAN, appointing dedicated WPP Creative CEOs in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The market leads are tasked with driving greater collaboration across WPP’s creative agencies while strengthening partnerships with WPP Media and WPP Production. The move forms part of WPP’s broader efforts to streamline operations and deepen integration across its agency brands in key growth markets.

Related articles: 
Ogilvy Malaysia executive group director Michelle Ong departs   
The Ogilvy Group China names new CEO   
IBM and Ogilvy part ways after three decades