CP+B names Erik Sollenberg as next global CEO, taking over for retiring Lori Senecal
CP+B announced today (August 23) that the agency has named Erik Sollenberg co-global chief executive officer. He will work with current global chief executive Lori Senecal until her retirement at the end of the year, at which time he will become global chief executive of the agency.
Erik Sollenberg named global CEO at CP+B
In his position, Sollenberg will oversee all of CP+B’s offices around the world and help shape CP+B’s product development, innovation initiatives and global growth. He will be based in CP+B’s Boulder office.
Sollenberg joins CP+B from Swedish agency Forsman & Bodenfors (F&B), where he’s been chief executive officer for the last 14 years. F&B has been recognized for its innovative work, creating global campaigns for clients including Volvo, Ikea and Procter & Gamble. Under Sollenberg’s leadership, they have consistently been in the top tier of international agency rankings, and have won over 100 Lions and six Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions Festival for Creativity. In the last three years, F&B has been recognized by the Gunn Report as the most awarded agency of the year, and it has also been named Independent Agency of the Year at Cannes, Agency of the Year at the One Show and Agency of the Year at the Art Directors Club.
In 2016, Forsman & Bodenfors and CP+B entered into a strategic partnership when the Swedish agency was acquired by CP+B’s parent company, MDC Partners.
“CP+B’s history and DNA is about one thing, great work, and Forsman & Bodenfors has been able to produce consistently brilliant creative for 30 years. That’s kind of amazing,” said Chuck Porter, chairman of CP+B. “I’ve known Erik for a long time. We have the same beliefs and aspirations, and he has an uncanny understanding of what’s needed for a creative-driven enterprise to thrive. Lori Senecal is a great leader and she’s done a masterful job of architecting an innovative global strategy and structure for the agency. As she was making her decision to leave the industry, it was pretty clear what the best next step for the agency would be. I think Erik's leadership, together with the creative talent that’s already here, is going to lead to some pretty spectacular things.”
Added Sollenberg: “Forsman & Bodenfors and CP+B have many similarities, from our age, to the way we help our clients interact with culture. Most importantly, we share an unwavering commitment to great creative work. I have been an admirer of CP+B for many years and really got to know them when we began to work together through our strategic alliance. I’m looking forward to working with Lori during the transition, and to partnering with Chuck to build something really special.
“This is a unique opportunity to bring what I’ve learned at F&B into more of a global context. It’s also a chance to strengthen the strategic partnership between CP+B and F&B. I am confident that we will build upon our great legacies of reshaping what creative communication can be.”