Hamish McLennan

Hamish McLennan (born June 13, 1966) is Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Australian Media company Ten Network Holdings and the Chairman of REA Group, a global online real estate advertising company. He was previously Executive Vice President, Office of the Chairman, News Corporation, and Chairman of Young & Rubicam (Y&R), the largest division of Y&R Brands which is in turn owned by WPP plc a British multinational advertising and public relations company.

Career

McLennan began his career in Sydney, working for George Patterson Bates, training in every area of the agency before pursuing a career in Account Management. In 1994, he moved to Bates Hong Kong as the International Client Services Director. He relocated to the agency’s Sydney office before being appointed (at age 32) as the Managing Director of George Patterson Bates Melbourne, and in 1999 he was named National Managing Director.

Three years later, in 2002, he moved to Y&R as Chairman and CEO of Y&R Australia/New Zealand. He led the acquisition of his former agency to form George Patterson Y&R, the marketing communications group. In 2006, WPP’s Martin Sorrell appointed him Chairman and CEO of Y&R globally. Under his leadership, the firm won global clients like LG, Bacardi, Dell, Goldman Sachs and Virgin Atlantic.

For more than a year, McLennan worked with Rupert Murdoch as Executive Vice President, Office of the Chairman, News Corporation.

In March 2013, McLennan was appointed as CEO and Managing Director of Ten Network Holdings Ltd (ASX: TEN) replacing James Warburton.^[1]

Social responsibility

McLennan was a Board member of the United Negro College Fund, and the agency’s involvement dates back to the 1970s, when Y&R created the slogan, “A Mind Is A Terrible Thing to Waste,” which is still used today. He also serves on the board of the Advertising Council.

In 2007, he invited former U.S. Vice President Al Gore to Cannes, the industry’s most global creative festival, to rally the industry to get involved in the issue of climate change. That same year, Y&R helped Gore build awareness of climate change through the Live Earth Concerts that took place on 7 continents on 7 July 2007 (7/7/07).

Professional leadership

McLennan has been a participant at the World Economic Forum at Davos, where he has served on panels, ranging from the future of the Automotive Industry to Innovation. He also participated in the Davos Reverse Mentoring Programme, designed to increase the visibility of female employees in media companies.

Since 2007, he has created seminars at the International Festival at Cannes that have included Rupert Murdoch and his then #2 leader at News Corp, Peter Chernin, as well as Roger Daltrey, frontman of the band The Who, along with his long-time impresario, Harvey Goldsmith.

Personal

Hamish McLennan was born on 13 June 1966, in Sydney, Australia. He is married to Lucinda and they have a son and daughter.

References