M&C Saatchi named Jo Bacon as CEO of its revamped U.K. agency. The appointment follows M&C’s reorganization of its U.K. operations into a single group.

The hire follows naming Marcus Peffers as U.K. Group CEO last year.

Before this, Bacon was global client lead at Ogilvy, overseeing its Unilever business, including its biggest brands, Dove and Hellmann's.

At M&C Saatchi, Bacon will work alongside Peffers and Sophie Lewis, chief strategy officer, to reinforce its founding principle — Brutal Simplicity of Thought — across every area of the business, from internal ops to creative assignments.

Bacon was instrumental in the recent haul of strategic and creative awards picked up by Ogilvy and WPP in 2023. Her team’s work on Unilever and Dove won 100+ strategic and creative accolades in 2023, including an Emmy Award, three Cannes Grand Prix, multiple Cannes Lions, making her one of the most awarded ad agency leaders in the world last year.

She will join M&C Saatchi in May this year.

Marcus Peffers, U.K. Group CEO, M&C Saatchi, said: “Hiring Jo to lead our newly formed U.K. agency is a tremendous coup. She’s a rare talent ... a highly experienced CMO, leading some of Britain’s biggest media brands, across the total marcomms mix.”

Bacon has also worked at agencies including RKCR/Y&R, Saatchi & Saatchi and DDB.