Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) agency, Golin, promotes Ondine Whittington to President, London, reporting into Golin CEO Matt Neale.

In this newly-created role, Ondine will continue to lead Golin & Virgo Health London – a global healthcare agency – overseeing a team of nearly 200 people. In recognition of the success and transformation under her tenure, she will now join the global executive leadership team to influence decision-making at the most senior level.

Since joining Golin in 2020, Ondine has driven double digit growth over the last three years, nearly doubled the team, seen a phenomenal 69% win rate across both businesses and won three agency of the year titles – PRovoke Mid-Sized Consultancy of the Year, PRWeek Health and Pharma Agency of the Year and The Drum PR Agency of the Year.

Under Ondine’s stewardship, London has been on a mission to bring fresh thinking and approaches to clients by unlocking collaboration – embedding strategy, creative and risk and reputation management and blending diverse agency teams to fuel new workstreams and growth. This has led to significant new business wins, particularly in consumer and healthcare, and a growing reputation as a center of creative excellence, delivering multi-award-winning work for clients including ASICS, Magnum, Persil, Premier Inn and LEGO Group.

Ondine has set the agency on a path to a more transparent and inclusive culture that fosters innovation and creativity. Putting proper investment and resources behind it by hiring London’s first specialist Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director and setting a long-term strategy for change. While launching new inclusive policies like gender neutral family leave, implementing banding and pay transparency and a new partnership with an organisation called Your Game Plan to bring a wider pool of more diverse talent into the industry.

“Ondine has proven herself to be a leader for our modern era.  Her sophisticated and nuanced approach to building our brand and culture has led to consistent top and bottom-line growth in London; which is now the third largest office in our network. She guided the business through the pandemic into a thriving hybrid-working model and harnessed the power of collaboration between Golin, Virgo Health and the rest of the network to deliver stand out work for clients and opportunity for our people.”  said Matt Neale, CEO.

“Over the last few years, our world and how we work within it has changed dramatically. While this presented a challenge, I also believe it created amazing opportunities for our clients and our people. I have felt incredibly privileged to lead this change and build an exceptional leadership team in London that is redefining and rebuilding a culture and brand that’s fit for the future. One that mixes sophisticated large global agency capability with the agility and disruption of a smaller agency model and mindset,” said Ondine Whittington.