As agency networks rethink how—and where—they operate, the traditional “London-first” model is starting to show its cracks.
On this episode of Agency Alchemy, Pete Coates, Managing Director of Omnicom Media Newcastle, breaks down what it really takes to build a modern agency footprint from the ground up—and why regional expansion today isn’t about geography, it’s about access: to talent, to clients, and to new ways of working.
Pete shares the strategic thinking behind launching Omnicom Media in Newcastle from scratch rather than through acquisition, and how that decision unlocked a first-mover advantage in an underserved market. But more importantly, he outlines how the team is reimagining the agency operating model itself—moving beyond outdated structures toward distributed, frictionless teams that prioritize both client outcomes and employee equity.
From tapping into new talent pipelines and building partnerships with universities, to designing interoperable teams that mirror increasingly distributed client organizations, this conversation explores what “going local” actually means in a global network—and why the future of agency growth may depend on getting that balance right.
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