Marina Maher Communications (MMC), an Omnicom PR Group (OPRG) agency, announced that Marina Maher has decided to step down as CEO of the integrated marketing and communications agency she founded and has headed since 1983. Maher has named Olga Fleming, currently serving as MMC’s Global President, as the CEO of MMC and specialist agency RXMosaic, effective immediately. Maher and Fleming have been collaborating for several months to ensure a smooth succession that prioritizes MMC’s people, client excellence and business momentum.
“This was indeed a big decision, but it wasn’t a hard one,” said Maher. “We are coming off a strong year with new business growth and a positive outlook for 2023. I have always been passionate about helping women thrive in their careers and succeed in leadership positions. It is one of the pillars upon which I established MMC and I am thrilled to be able to name such an accomplished, inspirational and inclusive leader from within the agency,” remarked Maher.
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“Over the last 40 years, we built a communications agency that broke the mold in women’s communications,” said Maher. “We have expanded on this foundation with an audience and culture-first focus that produces wholly differentiated programming. Looking ahead, I believe the time has come for both me and the agency to take the next step.”
Maher has assumed the role of non-executive chair of MMC and will serve as a senior counselor on select accounts. She has also been chosen by CEO of ORPG, Chris Foster, to establish and lead OPRG’s first-ever Institute for Women’s Leadership to develop women business leaders across the OPRG portfolio.
“Marina combined her passion for women’s causes with her sharp business sense and built an agency that, 40 years later, is still creatively connecting brands to culture and delivering outsized results for clients,” said Foster. “She is by any estimation an icon in our industry. It has been an honor to work with Marina as the CEO of MMC and I am excited to be able to continue working with her in her new role.”
A Powerful Legacy
Maher founded MMC on July 3, 1983, as a female-led and -powered agency dedicated to helping brands reach and engage female consumers. At a time when the industry was dominated by men, Marina’s bold and pioneering approach was nothing short of groundbreaking. Over the decades, the agency has continued to break barriers and push boundaries with campaigns that tackled historically taboo topics such as vaginal health, overactive bladders, and menopause with sensitivity, intelligence, empathy, and impact. MMC also made waves by extending make-up to men and a locker room shampoo to women, challenging societal norms and setting a new standard for inclusivity.
MMC: The Next Chapter
Fleming joined MMC in 2021 as President, Health and Corporate and was promoted to Global President in 2022. A PRWeek Hall of Femme Inductee, Fleming has close to 30 years of experience directing award-winning U.S. and global PR and corporate communications campaigns for clients across a variety of industries and building agencies recognized as best places to work. Fleming has a hybrid background rooted in corporate communications, creative brand strategy and storytelling, as well as a passion for companies that want to challenge the status quo. Fleming previously founded and was CEO of GoodFuse, a communications agency within the BCW Group.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to build on Marina’s powerful legacy and to work with the MMC/RXM leadership team to drive even more success for our people and clients,” said Fleming. “As I look ahead to the next 40 years, MMC has the right foundation to continue shaping and evolving the future of communications.
SOURCE: PR Newswire