BBDO Germany Names Ina Behrendt CCO — Its Second Creative Overhaul in a Year
Updated: Sep 1
TL;DR: BBDO Germany has installed Ina Behrendt as Chief Creative Officer at holding level, reshuffling creative leadership barely a year after the last change — a sign of the churn clients weigh when reviewing agency rosters.
A new creative chief
BBDO Germany has named Ina Behrendt as Chief Creative Officer at holding level, effective 1 September 2026. She joins the BBDO Holding Germany (Omnicom) leadership team alongside CEO Björn Bremer, CSO Achim Schauerte and CFO Katharina Sobieraj, succeeding Ville Ohtonen, who arrived only in summer 2025 and moves to a Creative Managing Director role for select projects.
Behrendt arrives with a strong pedigree — R/GA New York, Jung von Matt, Grabarz & Partner and Miami Ad School Europe — and work for Nike, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, VW, Samsung and L'Oréal.
Two overhauls in a year
The notable part is the timing: this is BBDO Germany's second creative-leadership change in barely a year. Reshuffling the top creative role twice in quick succession suggests a network still searching for the right formula.
Frequent leadership change is a double-edged sword. It can signal decisive course-correction, but repeated churn also raises questions about stability — questions clients tend to ask when their agency's key people keep moving.
Marketing Minute's read: stability is a pitch asset
Our take: for clients, agency stability is an underrated selection criterion. Creative continuity protects institutional knowledge and brand consistency; churn at the top can mean strategy resets and relationship rebuilds that cost the client time.
That said, a high-calibre hire like Behrendt is also a genuine talent statement. The test will be whether she's given the runway to embed — because the value of a strong creative leader only compounds if they stay long enough to shape the work.
What businesses should take from it
If you're choosing or reviewing an agency, weigh leadership stability alongside the creative reel. Continuity in key roles protects the consistency your brand depends on.
Talent is only as valuable as the tenure behind it. Whether hiring in-house or appointing an agency, give strong leaders the runway to embed rather than judging them on a single year.
Quick FAQ
Who is BBDO Germany's new CCO?
Ina Behrendt, effective 1 September 2026, joining BBDO Holding Germany's leadership team. She has worked at R/GA New York, Jung von Matt and Grabarz & Partner, on brands including Nike, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and L'Oréal.
Who does she replace?
Ville Ohtonen, who arrived in summer 2025 and moves to a Creative Managing Director role for select projects — making this BBDO Germany's second creative-leadership change in about a year.
Why does agency leadership churn matter to clients?
Frequent changes at the top can trigger strategy resets and relationship rebuilds, so leadership stability is an underrated criterion when selecting or reviewing an agency.
For clients, agency stability is an underrated selection criterion. A brilliant creative hire only pays off if they're given the runway to embed — and a second leadership change in a year raises exactly the continuity questions clients weigh when they review a roster. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Agency leadership stability is a pitch asset — continuity protects the brand consistency clients depend on, and talent only compounds with tenure.
When you choose an agency, do you weigh leadership stability as heavily as the creative reel?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Horizont, W&V, Campaign Germany.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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