Tessa Ohlendorf named President North America at Coegi
Tessa Ohlendorf has been appointed President, North America for Coegi, a digital media agency owned by True Independent Holdings.
Ohlendorf takes responsibility for Coegi's operations across both the United States and Canada, where she will focus on strategic growth, operational efficiency, and the further integration of advanced artificial intelligence and machine-learning into the company's programmatic, connected TV (CTV), and social-media services. She began her role on early August.
Coegi's North American positioning forms part of a broader strategy by parent company True Independent Holdings (TIH) to align its agencies, which also include Swell Media, RADaR, and True Media, whilst enhancing its capacity to deliver across the US and Canadian markets.
Jack Miller, Chief Executive Officer of True Independent Holdings, shared the company's perspective on the appointment:
"Tessa brings visionary leadership, technology expertise, and operational acumen to Coegi, further strengthening a company already recognized as a proven digital partner for brands and agencies. Her track record of scaling organizations, fostering innovation, and building high‐performing teams positions her to unify our North American operations and capitalize on the tremendous growth opportunities."
Ohlendorf's career includes 25 years of experience in programmatic advertising and marketing technology. She most recently led Fabric Folk, a consultancy supporting agencies and brands with AI adoption and change-management strategies. Earlier, she played foundational roles in launching and expanding Cadreon (now Kinesso) for IPG Mediabrands in Canada, and served as Managing Director at MightyHive (now Monks), where she built stable teams and maintained longstanding client relationships in multiple industries.
On her appointment, Ohlendorf commented on the current landscape and her ambitions for Coegi:
"I'm thrilled to join Coegi at such an exciting inflection point for the company and the industry. Coegi is perfectly positioned to seize the unprecedented opportunities to help brands and agencies reach consumers in meaningful ways. Coegi's technology-first approach and talented team is primed to navigate clients through this evolving landscape and drive measurable business results."
Ohlendorf's leadership approach has attracted industry attention, including recognition in AdExchanger and AdMonsters' "Top Women in Media & Ad Tech" listings, and her teams have received several Great Place to Work awards. She holds executive certificates from reputable institutions, including the Rotman School of Management, Smith School of Business, MIT, and UC Berkeley, and is a recognised speaker on subjects such as AI strategy and operational change.
Leadership transition
The leadership transition coincides with Sean Cotton, Coegi's previous US Chief Executive Officer, stepping into a consulting role. Cotton will support the integration process and continue to provide strategic guidance as Ohlendorf assumes her duties.
Ongoing growth strategy
The move underscores True Independent Holdings' focus on top-tier leadership and the development of its agencies by leveraging data, technology, and talent to meet client objectives with greater effectiveness.
In the context of recent structural changes, including TIH's integration into the Meet The People (MTP) group of agencies, Coegi's expanded leadership is seen as a means of accessing enhanced resources and a broader client service network throughout North America. This allows Coegi and other TIH agencies to collaborate and share expertise, providing comprehensive services in digital marketing, strategy, analytics, and content development.
