Craig Dempster Named Global CEO at Merkle

Merkle, a technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency based in Columbia, MD, named Craig Dempster as global CEO, effective June 1. A Merkle veteran, Dempster has held the role of president of Merkle Americas since 2017, overseeing the organization’s many service lines, including customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise technology, data, analytics, performance media, user experience, performance creative, promotion and loyalty solutions and customer strategy consulting.

As global CEO of Merkle, Dempster will oversee the entire organization of more than 9,600 employees in 13 countries, including its most recent acquisitions, Media Storm, Digital Pi and 4Cite.

David Williams, chairman and CEO of Merkle for more than 32 years, will remain chairman of Merkle while retaining his role as CEO, Global CRM Group for Dentsu Aegis Network and chairman of Dentsu Aegis Network Americas.

According to a release, “Under Williams’s leadership, Merkle has grown from $2.5 million in revenue to more than $1.0 billion in revenue annually and become a truly global business. He oversaw the company’s sale to Dentsu in 2016 and its integration over the past 4 years. Purpose built for the digital age, Dentsu has focused on acquiring relevant, high-performance businesses globally in high-growth areas, including data, brand commerce, customer experience, performance marketing, social, and mobile.”