Amy Lanzi has been named CEO of Digitas North America. She succeeds Jodi Robinson at Digitas, who will be moving into a new innovation-focused role at Publicis. (Digitas is part of the Digital Experience division of Publicis Groupe.)
Lanzi, chief operating officer for Publicis Commerce, has been an instrumental leader for Publicis Groupe, leading significant commerce growth in the holding company’s new business efforts and modernizing commerce for existing clients. Additionally, she drove the integration of Publicis Groupe’s recent commerce acquisitions, CitrusAd and Profitero, while spearheading key commerce partnerships. Lanzi is a well-respected leader building and activating a cross-functional community of 10,000 Commerce practitioners within Publicis Groupe while taking home varied honors including recognition as a She Runs It Trailblazing Mother of the Year. Prior to joining Publicis, Lanzi spent over 20 years at Omnicom’s TPN, where she helped grow the company from a team of 30 to 350 and expanded its presence to include offices in Chicago, San Francisco, Bentonville and London.
Lanzi, who will also retain the chair position for Publicis Commerce, said, “Digitas has long been recognized for its work across data, creativity, media, and experience, showing it is a true unicorn when it comes to delivering unmatched client service. Today, Digitas is known for their unique approach to media fueled creativity. It’s gaining traction with our clients as a proprietary way to bring together fragmented parts of a brand’s ecosystem into one networked body of work with capabilities across media, creative, data, loyalty and technology. Together, we’ll fuse connected commerce through Digitas’ Networked approach, bringing powerful solutions to clients.”
Civil rights groups call on major corporations to stick with DEI programs
A broad group of civil rights organizations called on the CEOs and board members of major companies Thursday to maintain their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have come under attack online and in lawsuits.
An open letter signed by 19 organizations and directed at the leaders of Fortune 1000 companies said companies that abandon their DEI programs are shirking their fiduciary responsibility to employees, consumers and shareholders.
The civil rights groups included the NAACP, the National Organization for Women, the League of United Latin American Citizens, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
"Diversity, equity and inclusion programs, policies, and practices make business-sense and they're broadly popular among the public, consumers, and employees," their statement read. "But a small, well-funded, and extreme group of right-wing activists is attempting to pressure companies into abandoning their DEI programs."
Companies such as Ford, Lowes, John Deere, Molson Coors and Harley-Davidson recently announced they would pull back on their diversity, equity and inclusion policies after facing pressure from conservative activists who were emboldened by recent victories in the courtroom.
Many major corporations have been examining their diversity programs in the wake of a Supreme Court decision last year that declared race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions unconstitutional. Dozens of cases have been filed making similar arguments about employers. Critics of DEI programs say the initiatives provide benefits to people of one race or sexual orientation while excluding others.
In their letter, the civil rights organizations, which also included... Read More