Dempster (pictured) joined Merkle in 2006 and has been president of the Americas since 2017, overseeing service lines including customer relationship management (CRM) and data.

In addition to leading Merkle, he will be responsible for leading Dentsu’s other CRM brands, including 360i, gyro and Cardinal Path.

David Williams, current chairman and chief executive, will remain chairman of Merkle, and retain his positions as chief executive, global CRM group for Dentsu Aegis Network, and chairman of Dentsu Aegis Network Americas.

The appointment follows Dentsu Aegis Network taking 100% ownership of Merkle ahead of schedule, following its acquisition of a majority stake in 2016. Merkle has around 9,600 employees in 13 countries, including its recent acquisitions Media Storm, Digital Pi and 4Cite.

Williams said: “Craig has been a crucial leader in the success we’ve seen with Merkle over the past 14 years, and I’m confident in his ability to lead our employees and clients through this time of disruption and into the future. Merkle has amplified its presence across the industry, becoming a leader in innovation, and Craig will continue to meet and surpass our business goals.”

Earlier this week, Merkle also announced it is retiring the Periscopix brand, incorporating it into the wider brand identity.