Former CEO of WPP’s VMLY&R joins global commerce company as investor and executive
Komerz, the fast-growing global commerce and distribution platform, today announced the appointment of Michelle Whelan as Global Chief Business Officer. This move comes as the company accelerates its growth trajectory and expands its capabilities in connecting challenger brands with global retail channels.
Michelle brings over 20 years of senior leadership experience, including eight years in a CEO role across WPP agencies. Most recently, she served as Chief Client Officer UK at VML and CEO of Geometry Global UK, where she led marketing strategies for international brands including Coca-Cola, Mondelez, Philips, Diageo, Nestle, Ford, Bayer, and Unilever.
In addition to her executive role, Michelle has also invested in Komerz, demonstrating her confidence in the company’s disruptive business model and growth potential.
“Over the last eight years at WPP, I have worked with brand partners to deliver marketing solutions that drive brand and category growth,” said Michelle.
“Komerz brings a whole new dimension to this by combining deep commercial understanding with cross-border channel expertise, giving challenger brands the capability to truly unite marketing and sales.”
The appointment comes at a pivotal time for the commerce industry, with traditional boundaries between marketing, sales, and distribution increasingly becoming blurred. Komerz’s model addresses a growing challenge for brands seeking to navigate complex global retail landscapes while maintaining control over their customer relationships and data.
As Global Chief Business Officer, Michelle will focus on scaling Komerz’s existing business by expanding brand reach to new customers across new channels. Her immediate priorities include building a high-performing team with clear objectives and KPIs to align marketing and sales operations globally, drawing on her extensive experience in building and scaling agency operations.
Michelle identified the shift from fragmented to fully integrated growth as a key market opportunity.
“Consumers don’t care where they buy, only that the brand is relevant, available, and frictionless to access. Komerz eliminates traditional silos between online and offline, marketing and distribution, by becoming a single operating layer across channels.”
Her appointment follows a period of significant change within the marketing services industry, with holding companies facing pressure from clients demanding more integrated, performance-driven solutions. The move suggests a broader trend of senior agency talent gravitating towards businesses that offer more direct commercial outcomes.