Omnicom’s New North: How NORD Will Lead Nordic OAG Hub Following IPG Merger

Over a year since Omnicom announced its $13.5 billion merger with rival holding company Interpublic Group (IPG), December 2025 saw the first glimpse at the shape of this new marketing behemoth. Following the finalisation of the deal at the end of November 2025, Omnicom moved swiftly to consolidate its global footprint, establishing a structure designed for what CEO John Wren calls "intelligent growth."

From an advertising perspective, BBDO, McCann, and TBWA emerge as the three global flagship brands under the Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG) pillar, led by CEO Troy Ruhanen, with iconic names including DDB, FCB, and MullenLowe due to be retired in 2026, with their talent and clients folded into the surviving networks on a market-by-market basis.

In the Nordic region, this evolution takes the form of a new Nordic OAG hub. The hub will be led by Andreas Dahlqvist, NORD CEO  and Nordic chief creative officer, and Niclas Melin, Nordic CEO, who will continue in their current roles while spearheading the development of OAG’s regional offering.

As Glen Lomas, CEO at Omnicom Advertising Europe, explained: “The Nordics is a region we strongly believe in, and we trust Andreas Dahlqvist and Niclas Melin to lead it. For many years, NORD has been one of the most creatively awarded agencies within the DDB network and has built an impressive position both inside and outside the Nordics. They will serve as OAG’s regional flagship with a key role in our global strategy.”

This new-era Omnicom is built around "connected capabilities," powered by Acxiom’s massive data infrastructure and the Omni intelligence platform. For NORD, this means maintaining its "breakout creative" identity while gaining access to a privacy-first data stack that unifies 2.6 billion global IDs – a scale intended to go toe-to-toe with competitors like Publicis Groupe.

In this follow-up interview, Andreas and Niclas tell LBB’s Alex Reeves how NORD will navigate this transition, honouring the DDB legacy while building a hybrid model that combines local cultural authenticity with global technological scale.

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LBB> What are the key changes to NORD with Omnicom’s new structure?

Andreas> This is an exciting next step for us: the establishment of the Nordic OAG hub. It’s a recognition of what we have built so far in the region and the work we have created. The core of our brand remains on our door, NORD. We have always been and remain a bit of a combo of a breakout creative outpost and frontrunner and at the same time part of a larger international family. That balance suits us and our clients well. 

We will continue to leverage Omnicom’s global network, benefitting from major investments in technology and data, while maintaining a strong local focus. Day-to-day operations remain unchanged, and our clients will continue to work with the same dedicated teams.

Niclas> We look forward to shaping an even stronger foundation for growth in the Nordics. Our priority is to work closely with local management to define the right structure for clients in each market, making sure our Nordic platform is both strong and locally relevant. At the same time, it’s business as usual – we continue to grow our Nordic network with NORD on the door, and we’re proud to represent OAG in the region.

LBB> As a creative agency in 2026, what will be the agency's priorities? And what role will it take within the new Omnicom?

Andreas> Big brand ideas will continue to be more important paired with the fact that audiences expect brands to show up in ways that are true to the platforms they use and the communities they belong to. That means understanding context, language, and the nuances that make content resonate. Combining automation with human creativity in the right ways is also at the top of our agenda.

That’s why we’re excited about the future as a hybrid model: connected to the world’s largest global network while retaining strong regional ownership. This gives us the best of both worlds – local control combined with global scale. Being part of Omnicom Advertising Group enables us to strengthen and expand our offering at a time when access to data and a modern tech stack are critical. It gives us one of the most advanced platforms for consumer insights and technology solutions, while ensuring our work remains locally relevant and culturally authentic. Our ambition is to combine these capabilities with creativity to deliver ideas that truly connect with people and drive growth. 

LBB> With the DDB brand being retired, how will you honour its legacy?

Niclas > DDB is – and has always been – a legendary brand. For many of us, it’s one of the reasons we chose this industry. We have deep respect for its role in marketing history. But our strength and ambition don’t lie in a name – they live in the people at NORD. Together, we look forward to building on that legacy and creating something even stronger.

Andreas> Bill Bernbach was the start of the creative revolution in our industry and leaves a legacy that forever reshaped the way brands behave and what we do and much of what he set in motion is as relevant as it was in the sixties. And at the core it was always about the belief in creativity as the most powerful tool in generating growth and that is something I keep very close to heart and firmly believe in. I also think his focus on the importance of the quality of the craft, in the storytelling, in the writing and in the art direction becomes increasingly important as the world drowns in content.

LBB> What work from the past year best illustrates your ambition?

Andreas> We have a bunch of strong cases, but some recent work stands out – both in terms of creativity and execution. These projects were built on cultural insights and made a real impact in the Nordics and beyond. They’re ideas where we’ve worked across our Nordic offices and managed to spark conversations that reached far beyond the initial communities, generating significant buzz and engagement.

​Nordea – ‘Parental Leave Mortgage’, an initiative where the product is the message. An effort that redefined financial services by introducing a mortgage solution tailored for parents on leave, showing how creativity can solve real-life challenges and move what we do into product innovation.

​‘Motherf*ing Windfarms’ with Samuel L. Jackson, a bold campaign that turned renewable energy into a cultural conversation, proving sustainability can be communicated with attitude and entertainment value.

​‘The Kidney Pass’ for Way Out West – would you give up your kidney for a festival pass? A campaign that leverages some serious FOMO in the shape of an unexpected solution that made organ donation part of the festival experience, mixing purpose with pop culture.

LBB> Personally, how does this moment feel for you?

Niclas> For me, DDB has always been defined by exceptionally talented and genuinely good people. That will remain our ‘guiding star’ as we now build the new OAG Group in the Nordic region.

Andreas> I think the whole industry is going through an exciting evolution at the moment and I find it super inspiring to be part of writing the next chapter of what our industry will become. It’s much more free-form again where the winning solves are less obvious. In short creativity will have a comeback in the midst of these larger structural changes.