Carat Names New Global Strategy and Planning Chiefs
Carat has appointed Bram Meuleman and Sarah Stringer to new global strategy and planning roles, reinforcing the media network's bet that human strategic thinking — not automation — is where agencies now earn their fees.
The appointments
Carat, dentsu's flagship media network, has named Bram Meuleman and Sarah Stringer to lead global planning and strategy. The dual hire is a clear statement of intent: the network is re-loading on senior strategic talent at the top of its structure.
It also fits a wider dentsu effort to sharpen its offer after a period of new-business turbulence, putting recognisable strategic leadership in front of clients who want more than efficient buying.
Why strategy hires matter in an AI media world
As media buying is increasingly automated — handed to algorithms, platforms and agentic tools — the value an agency adds shifts upstream, to the thinking that decides what to buy and why. Execution is becoming a commodity; strategy is becoming the premium layer.
The market context underlines the stakes. US ad spend is forecast to grow 12.3% in 2026 according to the IAB, with much of that growth flowing into automated social, retail media and connected TV. Our read at Marketing Minute: the more the machines take over the buying, the more clients will pay for humans who can point them in the right direction.
What businesses should take from it
When you choose or review a media partner, weigh strategic firepower as heavily as media rates. Anyone can promise access to the same automated inventory; not everyone can tell you which audiences, channels and moments actually move your business.
The agencies investing in senior planners are betting that strategy is the last defensible product in media. For clients, that is a useful filter: ask who is doing the thinking, not just who is pushing the buttons.
Quick FAQ
Who has Carat appointed?
Bram Meuleman and Sarah Stringer, to new global strategy and planning leadership roles at the dentsu media network.
Why is Carat investing in strategy talent now?
As media buying automates, strategic planning is where agencies add differentiated value, so networks are loading up on senior thinkers.
What should clients take from it?
Weigh a media partner's strategic firepower as heavily as its buying rates, because access to automated inventory is no longer a differentiator.
As buying gets automated, the only thing a media agency can't be replaced on is thinking. Carat naming two global strategy leaders in one move is a bet that the premium in media is shifting from execution to insight. Clients should take the hint and ask their agencies a simple question: who's actually doing the thinking here? — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
When the machines run the buying, human strategy becomes the last thing worth paying an agency for.
Do you know who does the strategic thinking behind your media — or just who places the buys?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Source: Campaign.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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