Dentsu Names New Global Media Leaders

Dentsu has announced the appointment of Kara Osborne Gladwell and Tia Castagno to newly created global positions, reinforcing its push toward innovation and advanced media solutions. Kara returns to the company as Global Product Architect Officer, Media, while Tia joins dentsu as Global Innovation President. Both leaders will report to William Swayne, Global Practice President, Media, and will play central roles in shaping the next phase of the company’s global media offerings.

The creation of these roles reflects dentsu’s long-term ambition to build more future-ready media solutions, with a sharper focus on transformation in the increasingly algorithm-driven marketing ecosystem. Announcing the appointments, dentsu described the duo as outstanding leaders whose return underscores the company’s commitment to innovation and product excellence across its media operations.

Kara re-enters the organisation after serving as CEO, UK & Ireland at Universal McCann, bringing extensive experience in agency leadership and media product development. Tia also returns to dentsu after a stint running her own innovation consultancy, where she worked closely with brands on transformation strategies and next-generation marketing solutions. Both executives are widely recognised for their ability to drive growth and deliver measurable business impact through technology and innovation-led approaches.Welcoming the new appointments, William Swayne said it was a timely boost for the organisation as it accelerates its Media++ strategy, a framework designed to enhance marketing performance in the algorithmic era. He noted that brands are increasingly looking to dentsu to deliver stronger, more integrated outcomes, and emphasized that Kara’s and Tia’s leadership will be instrumental in speeding up the deployment of dentsu’s technologies, products, and innovation capabilities across global markets.