John Wittesaele appointed COO International Markets

2000 employees across 25 countries – Mediaplus Group continues its growth trajectory and is responding with a high-profile new appointment. As COO International Markets, John Wittesaele will be responsible for developing all international offices, capabilities and resources. In this newly created role, Wittesaele will report directly to Matthias Brüll, Global CEO of Mediaplus. 

Munich, 11 February 2025 — Since January, he has been the new 'foreign minister' of the Mediaplus Group. As COO Mediaplus International Markets, John Wittesaele will lead the agency's global expansion, driving growth and innovation while fostering a diverse talent pool to deliver cutting-edge solutions to clients worldwide.

In this newly created role, Wittesaele will leverage his extensive experience to optimize the agency's international resources. His focus will be on the strategic application of data and AI, the standardization of media and technology platforms, and the seamless integration of digital solutions on a global scale. Additionally, he will champion the development and empowerment of Mediaplus employees, guiding them through the digital transformation journey and unlocking new levels of innovation to provide unparalleled value to clients.

The objective is clear: to expand international client business and to support and drive digital transformation across all Mediaplus global agencies. Reporting directly to Matthias Brüll at the company's Munich headquarters, Wittesaele will also maintain a strong presence across all 25 Mediaplus locations.

Matthias Brüll emphasizes the significance of this role: ‘The machine room of a media agency is a complex construct of different tools, technologies, human and artificial intelligences and databases that need to be orchestrated and integrated. Mediaplus has experienced significant growth in recent years, and now we need to optimize and fine-tune our global operations. With John, we have found the perfect person for the job – someone with international experience, deep expertise in data and digitalization, and a strong capacity for innovation. I look forward to working with John to drive the expansion of our international business.’

The new COO International Markets brings over 20 years of agency experience in data and digital business. He spent 12 years at GroupM, holding various leadership positions, most recently serving as Global CEO of Xaxis, the group's global programmatic media and technology platform. His career also includes key roles at GroupM Connect, and Quisma, a performance marketing agency within GroupM, where he served as COO International.

For Wittesaele, two key aspects of Mediaplus stand out: the integrated collaboration across all agency departments within the House of Communication and the entrepreneurial spirit that defines the partner-led agency group. ‘From the moment I stepped into the House of Communication, I felt a unique spirit of innovation – a vision for the future of media, shaped by the agency's distinctive structure and its collaborative approach with clients. Mediaplus is inherently customer-centric, and we shape the future in close partnership with our clients. This, combined with the exceptional people I have encountered here, made it an easy decision for me to take on this exciting role.’