Dentsu Overhauls Leadership, Names Takeshi Sano CEO

Dentsu has named Takeshi Sano its new president and global CEO as it reshapes its leadership team, the company announced.

Sano, currently CEO of Dentsu Japan and deputy global COO, will step into the role on March 27, 2026, replacing Hiroshi Igarashi.

The change comes at a rocky time for the company. Earlier this month, Dentsu reported a ¥327.6 billion ($2.18 billion) net loss for fiscal 2025, largely driven by a ¥310.1 billion ($2.03 billion) goodwill impairment tied to its struggling international operations. The company also suspended its year-end dividend to preserve cash.

Dentsu had been exploring a sale of its international business—which includes operations across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC outside Japan for months. According to a report from Campaign Asia, those talks fell apart after potential buyers walked away, and Dentsu is now focused on fixing the business instead of selling it.

As part of the leadership reset, the company is eliminating the global COO and global president roles. Regional CEOs and practice leaders will now report directly to Sano. Dentsu has also added new global transformation and corporate affairs roles and is continuing a cost-cutting plan that includes previously announced layoffs.

The moves reflect a broader effort to steady its overseas operations after several difficult years.

In announcing the changes, Dentsu said the new structure is designed to “enhance execution excellence and drive stronger growth outcomes for our clients.”

Sano previously led Dentsu Inc., the company’s core Japanese business, through 11 consecutive quarters of revenue growth. That unit accounts for roughly 40% of group net revenue and more than half of its underlying operating profit, making it the company’s financial backbone.

A Dentsu veteran who joined the company in 1992, Sano has spent much of his career focused on business transformation. He now takes on the task of reviving the company’s struggling overseas operations.

“Dentsu will continue to sharpen the distinctive value that sets us apart and position ourselves as a true growth partner, supporting clients consistently from strategy through to execution,” he said in a statement.