Distributor InnerWorkings, Inc. has outlined its CEO succession plan, announcing that Rich Stoddart, currently the global president of Publicis Groupe’s Leo Burnett Worldwide, will succeed President and CEO Eric Belcher and join the board of directors on or before April 5. When Stoddart is appointed president and CEO, Belcher will transition to the role of executive chairman of the board of directors.
Stoddart has served as global president of Leo Burnett Worldwide since January 2016 and has more than 30 years of marketing experience. Prior to his current role, he ran Leo Burnett North America for 11 years as chief executive officer and president. In these roles, Stoddart oversaw a period of significant growth as the agency expanded relationships with existing clients and added new clients, and he was active in the development and recruitment of top industry talent. He was also responsible for developing and integrating the agency’s shopper, digital and mobile technology capabilities to deliver seamless cross-platform solutions for clients.
“When the board and I began our succession planning last spring, our goals were to ensure an orderly leadership transition, and to identify an executive who could build on our market leadership as a disruptor and innovator and lead our business through its next phase of growth,” says Belcher. “We believe we’ve found such a leader in Rich. He is an exceptionally talented leader with a track record of driving growth and innovation for some of the world’s most famous brands and corporations. We’re pleased to welcome Rich to InnerWorkings.”
Stoddart adds, “I am thrilled to be joining InnerWorkings at such an exciting time. Eric and the team have done a tremendous job establishing InnerWorkings as an industry leader, and we see significant opportunity to leverage our unique position in the marketplace to grow the business. Our business is aligned with evolving trends in the way marketing departments operate, and with our global footprint and technology-focused model, we believe our comprehensive suite of marketing services is well positioned for long-term growth. Our value proposition and capabilities in marketing execution continue to resonate with existing clients, and I’m eager to begin working with the team to expand market adoption of InnerWorkings with new clients across the globe.”