John Osborn

John Osborn is Chief Executive Officer of OMD USA. John joined OMD this year after 25 years with BBDO, where he acted as President and CEO of the New York Agency for the past 13 years. Under John’s leadership, BBDO New York more than doubled revenues, expanded its client base to include categories like BtoB, retail, healthcare and more, and diversified its workforce. He also led the agency’s transformation into data, marketing science, communications planning and social and digital innovation. The result: BBDO New York was named Agency of the Year more than 15 times by various media outlets, including being named Social Agency of the Year by MediaPost in 2016 and Webby Agency of the Year in 2017.

Over the years, he has demonstrated that he is an energetic, positive and passionate leader with a proven ability to build strong client relationships and to lead big multi-disciplinary teams in the creation of powerful communication programs. In his current role, John has the opportunity to bring his expertise to the media side.

John’s notable accomplishments over the years also include his involvement with the “New York Miracle” campaign, which helped lift spirits of New Yorkers in the wake of the September 11 attacks. John has been equally active outside business, lending his talents to other important causes. He is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Police Athletic League of New York (PAL), and he serves as Chairman of the Board of the American Red Cross for Greater New York and as Chairman of the Global Dignity organization.

He has served as Chairman of the Board of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the “unifying voice for advertising.” More recently, John was elected to the Board of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and Social Sciences at Dartmouth College. And he accepted an invitation from Fordham University to serve as an Executive-in-Residence for its Center for Positive Marketing.

In recognition of his accomplishments, John was a recipient of a 2012 AdColor Award celebrating diversity champions in advertising, media, marketing and public relations. In 2003, he was inducted into the AAF Hall of Achievement, which honors people 40 years of age or under for their contributions to business. He has also been named to the Crain’s New York Business list of “40 under 40” as well as BtoB magazine’s “Who’s Who in BtoB.” In 2006, John was named a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum. In 2016, PAL recognized John as its Superstar of the Year and the AAF presented him with the Barton A. Cummings Gold Medal Award – its highest honor for service to the Federation and its membership.

John earned his BA at Dartmouth, for which he continues to serve as a member of its Alumni Association and Friends of Dartmouth Hockey Program. He is married to Lesley and is the proud father of a 13-year-old daughter (Caroline) and a 12-year-old son (John Jr.).