Horizon Media Holdings has appointed Bhavana Smith as Chief Operating Officer, marking a significant step in its shift from a traditional media agency to a performance-focused growth partner.
In this newly created role, Smith will oversee enterprise-wide operational transformation, focusing on aligning the company’s capabilities across media, commerce, creative, influencer, and technology. Her mandate includes strengthening operational performance, evolving workforce deployment, and embedding intelligent systems into daily workflows as the company accelerates its AI-led strategy.
Smith brings experience from leadership roles at Accenture, Publicis Groupe, and Mediacom, and is expected to play a central role in redefining how Horizon delivers value to clients through performance, transparency, and measurable outcomes.
The company is advancing a performance-driven operating model powered by artificial intelligence, moving away from traditional billing structures toward compensation tied directly to client results. This includes leveraging HorizonOS, an open operating system that integrates proprietary tools with external partners, and Blu, its AI-native ecosystem designed to orchestrate marketing and media management with greater transparency and accountability.
Bob Lord, president of Horizon Media Holdings and CEO of Horizon Global, emphasized that the company is rebuilding its operating model from the ground up to better align incentives with client performance. He noted that Smith’s leadership will help drive speed and cohesion across the organization.
Alongside Smith’s appointment, Horizon elevated several senior leaders to expanded roles, including Cherie Hankin Calingasan, Katie Comerford, and Katy Ferguson, who will collectively help lead the company’s next phase of growth. This leadership cohort is tasked with integrating data, technology, and expertise to deepen client partnerships and deliver measurable business impact.
The company is also restructuring its go-to-market strategy to prioritize outcomes such as revenue growth, market share expansion, and customer acquisition, further aligning its success with that of its clients.
As the largest independent media agency globally, Horizon Media Holdings aims to leverage its independence to move faster and adopt more flexible, performance-oriented models, positioning itself at the forefront of AI-driven transformation in the marketing industry.
KEY QUOTES:
“The traditional agency model was built for agency revenue, not client outcomes. That distinction is no longer sustainable. While many are applying new technologies to optimize legacy systems, we are taking a fundamentally different approach. We are replacing them, rebuilding our operating model from first principles, and aligning incentives to business performance. Bhavana brings a rare ability to build bridges across the agency and industry, and alongside this leadership cohort, ensures we move with speed and conviction.”
Bob Lord, President Of Horizon Media Holdings And CEO Of Horizon Global
“As the connection between marketing activity and financial performance becomes more visible, agencies are being held to a higher standard of precision and accountability. This creates an opportunity to more closely align how we work with the outcomes clients value. The organizations that lead will be those willing to reconsider how value is created and captured. That requires new operating models, new ways of working, and a sustained commitment to outcomes.”
Bhavana Smith, Chief Operating Officer Of Horizon Media Holdings
