NEW YORK — Industry veteran Daryl Lee is set to step down from his role as Global Chairman of McCann at the end of June 2026. The move brings a close to his prominent, nearly two-decade-long tenure with the network and its historic parent company, Interpublic Group (IPG).
Lee’s departure officially completes a planned executive transition to Tyler Turnbull, who previously succeeded Lee as the Global CEO of McCann following Omnicom’s massive acquisition of IPG late last year.
Two Decades of Media and Creative Leadership
Lee has been a cornerstone of the IPG network for nearly 20 years. Before stepping into the Global Chairman seat in December 2025, he accumulated a highly decorated track record across major network agencies:
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Global CEO, McCann Worldgroup (Assumed in 2022)
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Global CEO, IPG Mediabrands
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Global CEO, UM (Universal McCann)
Under his executive watch, McCann secured sweeping creative and global brand assignments for marquee accounts including IKEA (marking the first time the retailer selected a single global brand partner), LinkedIn, PwC, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, and major Ferrero brands like Kinder and TicTac. He also led McCann to the number-one spot in the 2023 Global Effie Index.
What Lies Ahead
With the leadership handover to Tyler Turnbull successfully finalized, Lee has not announced immediate corporate plans. Commenting briefly on his impending exit, he noted that he is looking forward to taking some traditional “gardening leave and seeing where the flowers bloom.”
