We Are Social, a global creative agency, has announced the appointment of Toby Southgate as its new Global Group CEO. With extensive global experience across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, he brings a wealth of expertise to his new role at We Are Social.
Southgate joins We Are Social from Forsman & Bodenfors, where he served as Global CEO, leading strategic initiatives that drove collaboration, championed gender pay equity and delivered significant growth.
Before joining Forsman & Bodenfors, Southgate was Global Chief Growth Officer at McCann Worldgroup, where he also served as Regional Director and Chief Client Officer across Europe and the UK. Prior to that, he spent a decade at WPP’s Brand Union, leading the agency to its first major successes at Cannes and the Effies.
In his new position, Southgate will oversee a team of 1,200 professionals across four continents, driving the agency’s continued evolution across people, work, and clients. He aims to build a globally connected creative business positioned for growth, expanding and innovating We Are Social’s core offerings in collaboration with its impressive client roster, which includes Samsung, Starbucks, adidas, Activision, and more.
Commenting on his appointment, Southgate said, “I’ve long admired We Are Social for its pioneering role in leveraging social and digital platforms at scale. It stands as the only truly global agency in its space. The agency has an incredibly bright future, and I’m excited to expand its offering as the world’s most creative social agency, working alongside an exceptional client portfolio. The energy and ambition within the network are truly compelling, making this an easy decision for me.”
Brett Marchand, CEO of Plus Company, We Are Social’s parent company, said, “We Are Social has grown into the world’s leading social agency, with a remarkable global footprint, exceptional talent, and a prestigious client base. Toby’s track record in leading multinational agencies to success, combined with We Are Social’s outstanding leadership team, presents an exciting opportunity to unlock the agency’s full potential. His dedication to fostering a people-first culture that enables teams to thrive and produce their best work was evident from the start. Toby is a world-class leader, and we are confident he will guide We Are Social into its next stage of growth and innovation.”
