Gen Kobayashi has been named chief strategy officer (CSO) at M+C Saatchi Group UK.
He joins from global communications agency Weber Shandwick, where he was CSO UK & EMEA, leading strategic integration and earned-first planning across the agency’s global client base.
During his time in the role he spearheaded the Sky pitch win and drove organic growth for Mars and Unilever. He also played a key role in Weber Shandwick being named PR Agency of the Year, at the Campaign Global Agency of the Year Awards in 2024.
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In his new position at M+C Saatchi Group UK, Kobayashi will lead the agency’s strategic vision, and work to “elevate strategic thinking across the business, ensuring cultural power is embedded in every aspect of brand strategy and creative output”, said the firm.
“I’ve always been a firm believer in the power of culture, and one of the first things I focused on at Weber Shandwick was how to get recognition for cultural conversations and coverage as a sustained driver of business impact,” he said.
“M+C Saatchi is putting culture at the heart of everything it does, and that’s what makes this opportunity so exciting.”
Kobayashi – who also commissioned the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising’s (IPA) Earned Effect research, proving that brands leading cultural conversations are 2.5 times more likely to drive profit growth – will work closely with M+C Saatchi Group UK CEO Jo Bacon in his new role.
“[Kobayashi ] is a brilliant example of a T-shaped thinker, starting in comms and media, moving into major brand strategy roles, and most recently leading strategy at one of the world’s biggest PR agencies,” said Bacon.
“That breadth and depth of experience is exactly what M+C Saatchi needs to further embed Cultural Power into everything we do. We’re excited to see how he shapes our approach and helps brands unlock the commercial potential of cultural thinking.”
Image: M+C Saatchi Group UK CEO Jo Bacon and chief strategy officer (CSO) Gen Kobayashi.
