New CEO/Exec Chairman Roles to Fuel Further Growth, Innovation and Development at MSQ

MSQ, the world's most AI-enabled challenger marketing and technology services group, has hired James Townsend (ex-Stagwell) as Group CEO, with Peter Reid, who is currently in that role, promoted to Executive Chairman. Collectively they will fuel the next stage of MSQ’s global growth strategy.

James brings more than 25 years of experience spanning brand strategy, performance marketing and digital transformation. He joins from Stagwell, where he most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Stagwell EMEA and Global Chief Executive Officer of Stagwell’s Brand Performance Network – a portfolio of performance marketing agencies operating across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. 

James joins next week with responsibility for day-to-day leadership and driving forward global agency growth and collaboration. Peter Reid, who co-founded MSQ and has served in the role since its inception over 15 years ago, will focus on the overall strategic direction of the group.

The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for MSQ, as the group continues to build commercial momentum and scale its integrated capabilities, with around 2,000 people now working across 25 global offices in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. 

Over the past three years it has completed seven acquisitions in America, Germany and the UK, won and deepened relationships with clients such as Diageo, Chase, The AA, JLL and Dropbox and launched MSQ Intelligence, a central global team dedicated to developing products, services, platforms and data capabilities to power MSQ agencies with world-class tools and intelligence.

Peter and James will work in tandem to ensure a smooth transition into their new roles, supported by MSQ’s Non-Executive Chairman Charles Courtier, COO Dan Yardley and its Executive Directors. 

Peter Reid, incoming Executive Chairman, said:
“This is a genuinely exciting moment for MSQ and for me personally. James brings the energy, experience and vision that we need to accelerate the next chapter of growth and I am delighted that we have attracted him to MSQ.

“It allows me to continue contributing to the strategic direction of a group that I am immensely proud of, while creating space for new leadership to thrive. I very much look forward to working with James as together we embark on the next step in our evolution. 

“The culture, ambition and commitment to our clients and our colleagues remains absolutely unchanged.” 

James Townsend, incoming Group CEO, commented:
“MSQ is an exceptional business and has grown to become one of the most scaled challengers – ambitious, entrepreneurial and built on a culture of doing what is right for clients and its people. I have admired what Peter and the team have built and I am thrilled to now be part of it.  

“The opportunity ahead is significant. I see a growing market. MSQ has a connected structure, world class talent and an AI platform in Assist that is creating material advantage for modern marketers. All this delivers an opportunity for us to cement ourselves as one of the defining global marketing and technology groups of this decade.

“I look forward to working closely with Peter, the executive team, MSQ’s brilliant agency leaders and most importantly, its clients and colleagues – who are at the heart of everything MSQ does.”

Non-Executive Chairman, Charles Courtier, commented:
“Peter has been an exceptional CEO over the past 15 years. He is the stand-out UK private equity media executive of that period, having built MSQ from a standing start to the largest and most vibrant independent UK marketing group and one of the fastest-growing in the world. Peter has delivered top quartile returns for two private equity partners and positioned MSQ for future success. 

“I am sure Peter will enjoy the headspace that bringing in James will allow and together they will be a formidable team to drive MSQ’s next stage of growth.”