Marta Siverio Takes the Helm of Publicis Groupe Puerto Rico, Bridging Two Generations of Advertising Leadership

At 12 years old, Marta Siverio was sitting at the kitchen table of her home in Arecibo when her father asked if she knew what publicity was. She said no.

“You know, the four P’s: Publicity, Promotion, Price and Product!” he said excitedly.

Marta had no idea what he was talking about, but she would later come to understand those four P’s very well. She became one of the industry’s most respected figures, with more than 30 years in the business, several awards to her name, and a deep sense of honor about the role she now holds.

More than three decades after launching her advertising career at Badillo Saatchi & Saatchi, Siverio is returning home, as she puts it, to lead Publicis Groupe Puerto Rico as its new chief executive officer. The appointment starts a new chapter for one of the island’s longest-standing advertising organizations.

In the cover photo above, left to right, standing: Eldred García, Chief Digital Officer; Tere León, Chief Financial Officer; Marla Dávila, Chief Media Officer; Mily Hernández, APR, Vice President in charge of Public Relations; and Grace Rodríguez, Chief Strategy Officer. Seated: Leslie Berríos, Talent Director; Marta Siverio, Chief Executive Officer; Nanel Rodríguez, Chief Creative Officer; and Yasmin Rotgers, Chief Innovation and Development Officer.

Publicis Groupe Puerto Rico announced the appointment on Nov. 5. The agency described it as a new stage for the organization and, on a personal level, a return by the veteran to the place where she began her professional life.

Siverio succeeds Erasto Freytes, who retired after a long and productive career in Puerto Rico’s communications industry, according to the company. His decades-long leadership helped shape the agency’s legacy and influence in the island’s advertising industry.

Her appointment comes as the industry undergoes a profound transformation driven by artificial intelligence, digital technology and increasingly sophisticated consumer expectations.

The company said the transition connects two generations of leadership, because Freytes was one of Siverio’s first mentors when she was starting out.

“Leadership cannot be copied. I have my own style, and I see myself as a bridge between the older generation, my mentors, Erasto and Ramiro, the latter my former boss, and this new generation of publicists.”

Marta Siverio

Mónica Gadsby, CEO of Publicis Groupe Latin America, endorsed the appointment in the company’s announcement. “Marta is a leader who combines experience, vision and a remarkable ability to connect people and business opportunities. She knows the Puerto Rican market very well, but she also understands where our industry is heading,” Gadsby said. “I am convinced that her leadership will allow us to keep building an increasingly integrated, relevant operation, prepared for the future.”

Carrying forward a legacy of creative innovation

Throughout his tenure, Freytes championed creative innovation and the evolution of advertising beyond traditional media. He oversaw the agency’s expansion into digital and interactive services, including the launch of its digital division, click4, in 2009.

His leadership also coincided with award-winning campaigns such as A Bullet Follows You, developed for United Way Puerto Rico, which received recognition at the Cúspide festival and the SME Digital Awards in 2012.

Freytes consistently advocated for integrating creativity, technology and media to strengthen brands and deliver business results, an approach that helped establish the foundation on which Publicis Groupe Puerto Rico continues to build today.

Rather than trying to fill his shoes, Siverio hopes to lead the company through the next few decades her own way, honoring his legacy while welcoming innovative approaches and talent she can learn from. Siverio framed her return in the same spirit.

“Honoring the legacy of this agency does not mean looking back,” she said in the company’s release. “It means recognizing everything that has brought us this far and using it as a platform to keep evolving. I return with deep respect for what has been built, but above all with enthusiasm for what we can build together going forward.”

Publicis Groupe Puerto Rico operates through the global group’s Power of One model, designed to integrate different disciplines and capabilities. Rather than operating as isolated advertising, media and technology agencies, Publicis brings these services together to address clients’ business needs, combining advertising creativity, brand strategy, media, data and technology.

The Puerto Rico operation includes Badillo Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, Starcom Media, Zenith Media and Epsilon. The agency has counted clients such as Claro, Toyota Puerto Rico, MMM and Wendy’s, among others, and presents itself as one of the leading firms on the island.

Priorities for the agency’s next phase

When asked how she plans to continue Erasto’s legacy, Siverio told CB that reinventing the wheel is not part of her plans. Instead, customer retention, talent development and investment in growth and innovation are among her top priorities.

According to the release, Siverio will focus her management on strengthening client relationships, developing new growth opportunities, developing talent and deepening the integration among the agency’s disciplines and capabilities.

“We have an extraordinary opportunity to build on a very solid foundation and carry it forward. I want our clients to find in us not only great ideas and creativity, but a partner that understands their business, anticipates their challenges and connects the talent and capabilities they need to grow,” she said.

For Siverio, the next generation of professionals needs a combination of creative thinking, technological literacy, analytical skills and an understanding of business strategy to adapt to a fast-paced, changing environment. That is why a new position was created on her team to address this very problem.

Appointed to the position is Yasmin Rotger, who has held various roles in the industry, including account management and social media platform executive.

“To be able to grow and compete with what is out there, we always want to remain relevant and modern. This role comes to help us connect the dots, someone who will help us stay at the forefront,” Rotger said.

Building teams and developing talent

Among her talent development strategies, Siverio emphasizes collaboration across disciplines and building teams with diverse professional perspectives. She credits her love of sports as an inspiration for a development strategy meant to guide Publicis through the pivotal changes the industry faces today.

The release adds that Siverio’s approach to leadership starts with people. She favors diverse teams, collaboration among disciplines and creating opportunities for the development of new generations of professionals.

“I believe in surrounding myself with people who bring perspectives different from mine,” she said. “At Publicis we have a team of first-rate professionals who complement one another, challenge one another and bring different capabilities. My responsibility as a leader is to open doors, create opportunities and make sure that talent has room to grow and shine. An agency’s success is never the result of one person, but of what we are able to build together.”

That commitment to talent is also personal. Having started her career with leaders who contributed to her development strengthens her commitment today to open opportunities and create space for new generations to grow, take on challenges and leave their own mark on the industry, according to the company.

AI as a tool, not a replacement

Like many industries, AI is changing the way advertising and media are produced and delivered. Siverio’s philosophy is consistent with what experts are saying: AI is there to help, not to replace people.

“Nothing will ever beat human critical thinking. We believe AI is a great tool for data optimization, so we can help our clients make better decisions. But in creative development and campaign production, storytelling will always be what moves our projects forward,” she added.

At Publicis, AI is being used for consumer research, audience segmentation and data analysis, with the goal of improving campaign efficiency and personalization. According to Siverio, the industry is at a pivotal moment in which attention is the new currency, and AI can help capture attention in a world where consumers are increasingly distracted.

For the executive, knowing how to use the technology is critical, but letting creativity guide the team will always be a priority.

A career across the island’s major agency networks

Siverio graduated from Syracuse University in 1993 and began her professional career at Badillo Saatchi & Saatchi. She later worked at JWT, McCann Erickson Puerto Rico and Young & Rubicam Puerto Rico before joining BBDO Puerto Rico, where she spent a significant part of her career.

She eventually became CEO of Omnicom Media Group in Puerto Rico, overseeing an organization that included BBDO, OMD and Hearts & Science. Across that role, she developed experience in creative strategy, client services, brand development, media, research, digital operations and financial management, and built lasting client relationships while developing multidisciplinary teams, according to the release.

Her leadership and contributions to the industry have earned her the SME Top Management Award in the advertising category. She has also held leadership roles with the Puerto Rico Association of Advertising Agencies and has participated in the Cúspide advertising awards.

“My career has taken me through several of the industry’s most recognized agency networks. That experience has given me a distinctive perspective on how the advertising business has evolved from traditional media to a more digital model,” she explained. For Siverio, returning to Publicis represents more than a new executive position. It is an opportunity to build on the foundation laid by previous generations of advertising professionals while preparing the organization for an industry increasingly defined by technology, collaboration and changing consumer expectations.