Interpublic Group announced today that is has appointed Pete Stein as Global Chief Executive Officer of Huge, one of the marketing industry’s most innovative companies. Pete takes on this role effective immediately.
As Global CEO, Pete will be based in Brooklyn, NY, where he will lead 1,400 people across thirteen offices and build on Huge’s strength as a global experience agency, one that is rooted in user-centric design that delivers unified brand experiences. Huge is known for its strong creativity, deep experience in technology, data and business strategy. Pete succeeds Michael Koziol, who is leaving the company to focus on private equity ventures in media and entertainment, retail and e-commerce.
A 25-year industry veteran, Pete is a recognized leader with a proven track record of leading digital, media and consulting firms. Most recently, Pete served as General Manager at Fullscreen Media, where he doubled the size of the business, leading to increased shareholder value, and its acquisition by AT&T in 2018. Prior to that role, Pete spent over ten years at Razorfish, ultimately rising to global CEO of the organization. While at Razorfish, Pete expanded a base of digital offerings by creating new global capabilities in e-commerce, social, mobile and programmatic media, delivering strong growth for clients.
“Pete has been a champion of digital technology since its emergence. Clients recognize his ability to deliver transformative business ideas, and to create and manage teams that can execute on those ideas,” commented Michael Roth, Chairman and CEO of IPG. “Pete is a strong collaborator who builds cultures defined by inclusion, teamwork and growth. We couldn’t be more excited to bring him to our company, supported by the talented management team at Huge, including COO/CFO Raj Singhal who has been with IPG and Huge for the last 15 years.”
“We thank Michael Koziol for his leadership throughout his tenure at Huge. He has kept Huge at the forefront of innovation and transformation and helped the agency expand into new areas. We wish him well as he pursues this new direction,” added Mr. Roth.
On his appointment, Pete said, “Huge is an amazing brand, doing some of the most respected work in the market today. Their culture is rooted in a passion for understanding users’ needs and behaviors, and their creative product shows how an agency can put it all together, from business innovation, through product development and creative campaigns that resonate in culture. I’m excited to work with everyone at Huge to continue building transformative business results for our clients.”
Michael Koziol added, “It’s been an amazing honor and experience to work at Huge alongside the best talent in the business and most ambitious clients in the world. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to watching the company continue to thrive.”
These announcements come on the heels of the agency’s recent wins including Brooks, Sinai Health Foundation, Value Retail, and Realtor.com, as well as the award-winning product launch named “Hooha,” the world’s first-ever smart tampon machine.