Restructuring at McCann follows FutureBrand Global CEO Nick Sykes and team exits

Brand strategy and design agency FutureBrand is undergoing a major leadership and structural change as McCann reshapes how the business is managed. FutureBrand Global CEO Nick Sykes has exited after a 15 year tenure, leaving alongside the agency’s entire global executive leadership team as reporting lines are restructured.

International reports state that Sykes’ departure is part of a broader move to remove FutureBrand from McCann Worldgroup’s central global structure. As a result, staff will now report into McCann’s local offices, with the London team transitioning under McCann UK.

The exiting group includes Gianni Tozzi, global chief creative officer, Jon Tipple, global chief strategy officer, Katy Nunn, people and culture director, Lauren Maynard, global chief growth officer, and Louise Nelson, executive assistant. With the exception of Tozzi, who was based in Milan, the senior leaders had been working out of London. All are understood to have left the business last week.

FutureBrand has operated as a recognised strategy and design brand within McCann for years, with the global executive team shaping positioning and overseeing international work. Sykes, who has been with the agency for 15 years, led the business through multiple client cycles and shifts in the branding landscape.

The decision to move reporting into local McCann offices marks a significant change in how FutureBrand’s teams will now be managed. Instead of a centralised global leadership layer, the agency will align more directly with regional and market specific structures already established within McCann. For the London office, this means transitioning under McCann UK’s oversight.

The restructuring comes against the backdrop of the soon to be finalised merger between Omnicom and Interpublic. The deal, which is expected to close shortly, has prompted close attention to how agencies within the combined group will be organised and led.

By removing FutureBrand from McCann Worldgroup’s central global setup and placing teams under local management, the network appears to be simplifying layers and bringing operations closer to market level decision making. For clients, this could mean tighter integration with McCann offices and potentially more direct access to creative and strategic resources in each geography.

For the wider industry, the move underscores how large holding companies are revisiting structures that once relied heavily on global leadership teams. As consolidation accelerates, networks are expected to balance global brand identities with operational models that can move quickly in local markets. FutureBrand’s next chapter will be watched closely as an indicator of how branding specialists fit into that new reality.

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