What’s going on at GroupM?

GroupM North America is undergoing a major restructuring that will impact between 40% and 45% of its U.S. workforce, CEO Sharb Farjami told employees during a company-wide town hall on Friday, May 9, according to a recording obtained by ADWEEK.

• The affected staff are tied to a new internal unit: Media Management and Delivery (MMD), which consolidates investment, Nexus, and campaign reporting functions.
• A company spokesperson clarified that the figure refers to organizational shifts, not confirmed layoffs. However, internal messaging indicates some employees are departing the business.

“This has been a challenging week, especially for those whose roles were impacted,” Farjami wrote in a follow-up memo to employees.

While specifics on the number of layoffs remain undisclosed, employee assistance resources have been activated, suggesting a large number of exits.

Official statements and context

CEO Sharb Farjami:

• Addressed staff in a 2 p.m. ET all-hands, acknowledging “colleagues that have left our business” and emphasizing support for those affected.
• In a memo following the meeting, Farjami reiterated that changes are aimed at creating a “more unified GroupM” and enabling better client delivery in an AI-first media environment.

A leaked memo from global CEO Brian Lesser indicated that staff reductions were part of the effort to eliminate overlap and streamline delivery.

Impact on Canadian staff

It remains unclear if the workforce reduction at...

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