Dentsu UK&I today announces the appointment of James Bailey as Media CEO, and Shenda Loughnane in the expanded role of Market Lead, Ireland, and Global President, dentsu X. Both appointments are effective immediately. Bailey will report to Annette Male, CEO of dentsu UK&I. Loughnane will report jointly to Will Swayne, Global Practice President, Media, and to Bailey. 

James Bailey steps up from his role as CEO of iProspect UK, where he has led the agency since its 2021 consolidation (with Vizeum) and created a unified agency operating across six locations. During his tenure, he has secured major account wins including Kering, eBay, Netflix and Tapestry.   

Under Bailey’s leadership, iProspect took third place in RECMA’s rankings of the UK media market in 2025, second place in Campaign’s new business rankings and were shortlisted for Agency of the Year in the Campaign Media Week awards. Bailey was shortlisted for Media Agency leader of the year, building on his previous recognition as a three-time Campaign top ten media suit.  

His appointment comes at a period of accelerated growth for dentsu’s UK&I media business. Today, media is no longer just about buying and planning – it’s the entry point to transformation. Dentsu’s Media++ strategy positions media as the engine that powers client growth and creative marketing services, bringing together audience strategy, activation, content supply chains, CRM, data and technology.    

Bailey takes over from Shenda Loughnane, who has led the UK&I Media organisation on an interim basis since July 2025, in addition to her existing role as Global Brand President of dentsu X. Loughnane will continue to be based out of Dublin, where she will lead the Ireland business in addition to her global role.  

Loughnane brings 30 years of experience spanning media, creative and global market leadership. During her 12 years at dentsu, she has also served as Global Managing Director of iProspect and Group Managing Director of dentsu Ireland.    

Annette Male, CEO of dentsu UK&I, said: “James and Shenda represent exactly the kind of leadership we need. James has built something transformational at iProspect, proving that exceptional agencies can be built on regional talent and distributed models. As Media CEO for dentsu UK&I, he’ll ensure that each of our media brands has the resources and ambition to drive the greatest growth for our clients. Shenda brings decades of experience driving growth through innovation and collaboration, and her leadership across dentsu Ireland will further strengthen our capabilities and client service in the market.”  

Will Swayne, Global Practice President - Media and Integrated Solutions, said: “Media is a flywheel for growth for our clients, and James and Shenda have been part of developing our Media++ strategy to deliver a market leading media offering to our clients. I am looking forward to partnering with them in UK and Ireland to accelerate our strategy.”  

James Bailey, UK&I Media CEO, said: “At dentsu, we have the most skilled and future-ready media talent in the UK. As Media CEO, I’m excited at the opportunity to nurture that talent further, creating a world-class team who drive even greater, measurable growth for our clients through our Media ++ strategy.”  

Shenda Loughnane, Market Lead, Ireland, and Global President, dentsu X, said: “I’m delighted to take on the leadership role in Ireland, my home for many years! By combining global insights with local experience, we’ll drive greater integrated growth for this key market, supercharged by our global Media ++ approach.”