New Worldwide Chief Innovation Officer for Grey

Michael Houston, Worldwide CEO of Grey Group, announced that Dan Bennett is joining the agency as Worldwide Chief Innovation Officer, a new position. He will be based at Grey’s flagship New York headquarters. This marks one of Houston’s first major appointments since assuming the leadership of Grey in August.

In this new role, Bennett will be responsible for driving Grey’s digital agenda globally. His remit is to infuse the agency’s work with technological innovation and capitalize on consumer data and analytics.

“Dan Bennett is uniquely qualified to leverage our digital capabilities for Grey’s future success,” Michael Houston said. “He is going to be an integral member of our senior management team, working closely with our new Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, John Patroulis. Together, we will implement a next generation business model, with creativity as our center of gravity.”

In recent years, Grey has established the BXG (Brand Experience Group) to provide more immersive and experiential brand experiences via “end-to-end” marketing: digital, social, activation, public relations, mobile, e-commerce and design in key hubs worldwide. In addition, the agency launched AdVentures, its innovation hub, to accelerate new technology products and services for clients through strategic partnerships.

Dan Bennett joins Grey from McCann Worldgroup North America where he has served as Chief Digital Officer for the past two years. He joined McCann New York in 2014 as Chief Digital Officer from the innovation network, AnalogFolk. At McCann, he’s worked closely with strategic and creative teams across the agency to develop digital platforms, from mobile to web to physical digital elements.

Earlier, as Founder and Managing Director of the New York office of AnalogFolk, Bennett led a range of work, from full brand sites and mobile experiences to digital OOH and short form films. He led the agency for two years as they added new clients in apparel, beverage, tourism and sports categories.

Previously, he was with JWT for nearly three years as Director of Digital Strategy as well as digital lead on clients in the retail, publishing and CPG categories. Prior posts include Director of Digital Accounts at TBWA/Chiat/Day, leading the development of Skittles award winning digital channels. Before moving to New York, Bennett was Digital Account Director at M&C Saatchi in London with a focus on integrated brand development.