Leslie Barrett, president of Innocean USA (Innocean) |
The Korean marketing firm Innocean is ramping up its expansion into the US advertising market by appointing a seasoned US industry leader to a newly created top post in its American unit.
The company announced Monday that it has named Leslie Barrett, former president and partner of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, as president of Innocean USA. The role, second only to the CEO, oversees the company’s entire US operation.
Goodby, Silverstein & Partners is a US-based advertising firm under Omnicom Group, one of the world’s largest agency networks.
Barrett brings 25 years of experience in the US advertising industry. She has led campaigns for major brands such as General Mills, Samuel Adams, HP, BMW and Logitech.
Innocean said Barrett has consistently focused on enhancing creativity and strategy while actively leveraging new technologies such as artificial intelligence, making her well-suited to drive the company’s innovation and global growth.
Lee Maicon, chief strategy officer of Innocean USA (Innocean) |
Her appointment follows Innocean USA’s hiring of another US advertising executive, Lee Maicon, in May, as chief strategy officer. He previously served as CSO at The Community, part of the US holding company Publicis Groupe, and held senior roles at McCann and Edelman.
The recruitment of local industry leaders reflects Innocean’s strategy of placing greater emphasis on opportunities overseas.
The company has worked not only with Korean brands abroad but also with global names, including the US food chain Wienerschnitzel and golf equipment maker TaylorMade Golf. In 2024, 77 percent of Innocean's sales came from overseas projects.
“Innocean is at a meaningful turning point with the addition of Leslie Barrett and Lee Maicon,” said Jun Il-soo, CEO of Innocean USA.
“Both are proven leaders in the global marketing industry, having both passion and strategic insight. We expect their expertise to elevate our business competitiveness, technology innovation and organizational culture to the next level.”