Dentsu Positions Itself as an Agile Alternative to the Industry’s Largest Holding Companies

In a recent Campaign interview, Dentsu Global CEO Takeshi Sano outlined his vision for revitalising the agency group’s international business and strengthening its position in an increasingly consolidated and AI-driven marketplace. Describing Dentsu as a “tiger” competing against the industry’s larger “elephants”, Sano argued that the company’s scale is sufficient to compete globally while retaining the agility and responsiveness that many clients value. He emphasised a renewed focus on client growth, faster decision-making, stronger collaboration across capabilities and a flatter organisational structure, as Dentsu seeks to move beyond a period marked by leadership changes, restructuring and uncertainty surrounding its international operations.

Commenting on Dentsu’s market position, Lucinda Peniston-Baines, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Observatory International, noted that the group has an opportunity to present itself as a more focused and agile alternative to the largest holding companies, although it continues to carry some legacy perceptions following the abandoned sale process of its international business. She observed that clients are generally less interested in holding company narratives and more focused on straightforward access to talent, clear accountability and connected capabilities built around their business needs. While recognising Dentsu’s strengths in media, creative services, data and production, Lucinda highlighted that the challenge lies in bringing these capabilities together in a way that is visible, compelling and consistently delivered across the organisation. As she noted, clients will not reward Dentsu simply for being smaller than its competitors, but for demonstrating that it is more responsive, better coordinated and easier to work with while delivering strong strategic, creative and data-driven outcomes.

This article is based on reporting originally published by Campaign. Read the full article: “Tiger versus elephants: Takeshi Sano on why Dentsu has ‘right size’ and ‘agility’ to win” (Campaign, May 2026).