VMLY&R Bolsters Global Agency Leadership for the Coca-Cola Company

VMLY&R announced today the appointment of two executive roles for The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) business: Stephanie DeCelles is promoted to global client lead, and Chase Cornett is named global chief strategy officer. In their new roles, DeCelles and Cornett will join OpenX from WPP, the bespoke agency created to service the Coca-Cola company after being named its Global Marketing Network Partner in November 2021. DeCelles and Cornett will be part of the integrated OpenX leadership team, which spans creative, media, social, data, tech, PR, and commerce services. They will partner closely with Rafael Pitanguy, creative lead for TCCC at VMLY&R.

“Stephanie and Chase are a powerhouse duo known for bringing strategic focus, collaborative spirit, and proven passion for breakthrough and innovative work for clients. Their depth of understanding when it comes to client needs is clear when you look at their record of delivering growth for global brands. They are an unbeatable choice to lead across our partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and wider WPP OpenX team,” said Global CEO Jon Cook.

Stephanie DeCelles has been promoted to global client lead for VMLY&R on the Coca-Cola Company business. She previously served as executive director of VMLY&R Kansas City, one of the flagship global offices in the network. In this role she was responsible for growth, culture and key client relationships across the office. She will continue to be based in Kansas City and report to Eric Campbell, global president, VMLY&R.

Since joining VMLY&R in 2012, DeCelles’ work has been recognized by Cannes, the One Show, Effie and CLIO awards. With nearly 20 years’ experience, she has led both national and global brands including Intel, Gatorade, Red Bull, Danone, Walmart & Bumble. Under her leadership, VMLY&R continues to expand through new divisions and capabilities, with high-profile brands for which the agency has won several industry awards. 

“I feel honored and incredibly humbled to take on this new role for VMLY&R within the broader OpenX team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to champion industry-shaping ideas that drive business for The Coca-Cola Company alongside a team of incredibly talented people,” said DeCelles.

Chase Cornett has been named global chief strategy officer at VMLY&R for the Coca-Cola Company. The appointment is the first major move from Andrea (Ring) Grodberg who joined VMLY&R last month as global chief strategy officer. Cornett will continue to be based in Kansas City.

His previous brand experience includes Gatorade, Tropicana, Red Bull, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Disney Stores, and Toyota with work globally recognized at Cannes, the One Show, Effie, and CLIO awards.

Prior to taking the helm of the global Coca-Cola business, Cornett successfully led the pitch and then global strategy for Team Intel — rebranding this iconic tech giant for only the second time in history. He also served as head of strategy for VMLY&R’s Kansas City office where he was responsible for driving our strategic point of view and growing and building a world-class team of brand, experience, and creative strategists. Cornett joined VMLY&R in 2017 from FCB Chicago, where he served as senior vice president and strategic planning director.

Commenting on the role, Cornett said: “When you think about The Coca-Cola Company and its portfolio, you’re looking at some of the world’s most iconic brands. To help them innovate and create outstanding brand experiences is a career-defining opportunity, and I’m thrilled to take on this role.”

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About OpenX from WPP

OpenX from WPP is an entirely new offering created for The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) that is integrated at its core and unprecedented in its scale. This industry-leading approach to modern marketing allows for seamless integration of bold ideas and creativity with end-to-end experiences that are informed by data and optimized in real-time. Our work spans across the company’s five-category beverage portfolio in more than 200 countries as well as global tent-pole marketing efforts including FIFA and the Olympics. OpenX from WPP provides access to our entire agency network of over 100,000 experts unlocking access to the best talent, capabilities and resources in and outside of WPP. Combining scale and agility, OpenX from WPP supercharges creativity and is a multiplier for change and growth.

About VMLY&R

VMLY&R is a global brand and customer experience agency that harnesses creativity, technology, and culture to create connected brands. Named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Global Marketing Agencies for five consecutive years, VMLY&R is made up of more than 13,000 employees worldwide with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney. The agency is behind award-winning campaigns for blue-chip client partners including Colgate-Palmolive, Danone, Dell, Ford, Intel, New Balance, Pfizer, and Wendy's. For more information, visit www.vmlyr.com. VMLY&R is a WPP company (NYSE: WPP).