VML Appoints Jeff Geheb to Head $1.5 Billion Enterprise Solutions Division
Spicing Up the Business Landscape: VML's Enterprise Solutions Division
Veteran exec Jeff Geheb, freshly appointed as the head honcho of VML's recently formed Enterprise Solutions division, is ready to shake things up! This powerhouse division, a lovechild of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson post their 2023 merger, aims to bring together consulting, customer experience (CX), commerce, and technology transformation under a unified banner.
Though these capabilities were already in play across VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, the new structure offers a single commander, massing troops for a coordinated attack on business challenges.
Jon Cook, VML's global CEO, gave Adweek the lowdown. "It's not a reorganization or a new offering," he said. "It's the official recognition of Jeff's work over the past year, gathering four powerful capabilities and giving them the visibility they need to thrive."
The divvy, reportedly worth a whopping $1.5 billion, accounts for a significant 40% of VML's global business. With over 150 clients like Ford, Google, and Shell, they've been expanding the scope of their engagements.
If you peeked into VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson a year back, you'd have found all this at scale. But it wasn't put together in a manner that made it easily accessible. It felt like shopping in a mall. Now, it's a cohesive tale with a unified platform, according to Geheb.
The official announcement comes hot on the heels of VML being named agency of record for National Vision and being recognized as a leader in Forrester's Q1 2025 Wave report for Marketing Creative and Content Services.
Meanwhile, VML's global chief commerce officer, Beth Ann Kaminkow, is saying her goodbyes to join the helm at Dentsu North America.
From Creative to CX-and Back Again
Geheb, a 25-year VML OG who has worn hats like CTO and global chief experience officer, explains that the division works hand in hand with VML's creative capabilities, not independently. "The new face of VML is still VML," he said. "But we're witnessing new audiences-IT, digital, service, and sales groups-knocking on our door via the capability front door rather than the creative one. And we're built to answer their call."
The division boasts flexibility, allowing clients to enter via creative, technology, or strategy, based on their business needs. In practice, the group takes care of complex challenges like customer journey mapping, loyalty programs, platform modernization, and even AI-powered content delivery-all under one roof!
For instance, Ford first approached VML to refresh its customer experience across the vehicle purchase journey. However, VML's work with the automaker has since expanded to include commerce, CRM, and platform innovation.
"Where a relationship might have once ended at a website, now we're connecting that to CRM, commerce, brand storytelling, and AI," said Geheb. "We're future-proofing our clients' businesses by connecting every pillar."
Geheb will now spearhead leadership across the four enterprise capabilities, with announcements regarding global leads for each pillar-consulting, CX, commerce, and technology transformation-set to drop soon.
The division will remain tightly knitted to WPP, including collaborations with GroupM, Choreograph, and the WPP Open platform.
"It's not a standalone company," said Cook. "It's a deeply interconnected part of VML and WPP. What sets us apart is the closeness of world-class creativity and tech under one roof. That's what makes us a unicorn, and you can't just hire your way into that."
National Vision Chooses VML as Their AOR
- The merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson in 2023 has given birth to VML's Enterprise Solutions division, which aims to scale up and unify consulting, customer experience, commerce, and technology transformation under one banner.
- Geheb, the head honcho of VML's Enterprise Solutions division, emphasized that the division works in conjunction with VML's creative capabilities, not independently, and allows clients to enter based on their business needs through creative, technology, or strategy.
- The newly formed division has demonstrated flexibility, taking care of complex challenges like customer journey mapping, loyalty programs, platform modernization, and AI-powered content delivery, all under one roof.
- With the announcement of its new Enterprise Solutions division, VML has recently been named agency of record for National Vision and recognized as a leader in fintech and the finance industry, emphasizing the division's potential to transform businesses.
