Andy Polansky
Andy Polansky

Andy Polansky, CEO of IPG DXTRA and executive chairman of Weber Shandwick, will retire in June, wrapping up a nearly 40-year career in marketing communications.

"I wanted to leave while there is still a lot of gas in the tank," Polansky, who recently turned 60, told O'Dwyer's.

He has been thinking about retiring for quite a while and feels the time is ripe because the DXTRA operation is operating on all cylinders.

There a strong leadership team in place, especially at Weber Shandwick which is helmed by CEO Gail Heimann, that guided DXTRA through the digital and pandemic-related disruptions, according to Polansky.

Upon leaving DXTRA, he plans to counsel nonprofits, continue to mentor young people and serve on boards.

Polansky, who will celebrate his 35th wedding anniversary in May, also looks forward to doing some traveling "when we can."

He assumed the helm of Interpublic’s collective of 27 brands including Golin, Weber Shandwick, R&CPMK, Current Global and DeVries Global, in July 2019 following a seven-year run as CEO of Weber Shandwick.

Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of IPG, said the marketing services business is better for “Andy’s humanity, integrity and vision.”

He said the strong businesses and teams that Polansky built “are testament to his approach to leading with directness and compassion.”