OMNICOM PRODUCTION STRENGTHENS NORTH AMERICA FOOTPRINT WITH TRIO OF REGIONAL PRESIDENTS

Omnicom Production has restructured its North American leadership, appointing Deborah Heslip, JT Pierce, and Steve Ferreira as regional presidents for the West, East, and Central zones. Reporting to CEO Alissa Hansen, the trio will drive growth and AI-driven content innovation for the firm’s portfolio of leading global brands.

The rapidly evolving landscape of creative production has reached a new milestone as Omnicom Production announces a significant expansion of its North American leadership team. In a move designed to capitalise on surging US performance and the growing complexities of AI-driven content, the company has appointed three industry heavyweights to lead its regional operations. Deborah Heslip takes the helm as President, West; JT Pierce as President, East; and Steve Ferreira as President, Central.

Reporting directly to North America CEO Alissa Hansen, the new leadership tier arrives at a time when production is no longer a final step in the marketing chain, but a foundational partner. Since its 2024 launch, Omnicom Production has successfully integrated itself into the ecosystems of 60% of the world’s top brands, alongside tech giants such as Adobe and Runway. This new structure is a direct response to client demand for production models that blend high-level creativity with real-time technological agility.

“Our momentum in North America is undeniable,” says Hansen. She notes that the new appointments will allow the firm to push the boundaries of what creative production can achieve, specifically through the lens of new technologies. Sergio Lopez, CEO of Omnicom Production, echoes this sentiment, suggesting that the addition of these “progressive leaders” ensures the company remains at the vanguard of the industry’s evolution without losing its essential creative DNA.

The backgrounds of the three presidents reflect a deep expertise in digital transformation and scaled operations. Deborah Heslip joins from Monks, where she served as Global Chief Client Officer, having led major transformation programmes for the likes of Apple and Amazon. Her focus remains on building integrated teams where “big ideas take shape” through a mix of strategy and production expertise.

JT Pierce brings a wealth of experience from both the brand and agency sides, including stints at DoorDash and 72andSunny. Most recently the Chief Client Officer at Tag Worldwide, Pierce has a track record of modernising businesses during high-growth periods. For him, the human element remains paramount: “Technology will continue to evolve how we work, but it’s people who shape what gets made and why it matters.”

Rounding out the team is Steve Ferreira, whose career began as a studio coordinator at McCann Toronto before he rose to lead Craft Worldwide in North America. Ferreira’s appointment highlights the firm’s commitment to using AI to respond to culture in real time. He views the current era as a “milestone” for the industry, where the goal is to redefine the speed and scale at which in-house production operates.

Under this refreshed model, production teams are being embedded earlier in the creative process. By working alongside media and client teams from the outset, Omnicom Production aims to deliver cross-channel content that is not only scalable but culturally resonant. As brands look to navigate a fragmented media environment, this leadership expansion signals Omnicom’s intent to be the primary architect of the next chapter in American advertising production.