Reinventing Agency Partnerships: Building an Integrated Marketing Ecosystem in a Fragmented World - Bayer
Overview
In this fireside chat from the CMO & CAIO Inspired Summit at Syon Park, London, in October 2026, Simon Edward of Inspired Business Media talks to Philipp Schuster of Bayer about building globally consistent brands that still meet the needs of local markets in an increasingly fragmented marketing landscape.
Philipp explains how a board request to save money became a business case for a better operating model, how compressed 'pitch in a day' sessions sped up the agency review, and how Bayer's consumer health business now works with an integrated, bespoke agency model, with teams drawn from key markets and a significant share of agency fees linked to business results.
Key takeaways
- A cost-saving mandate can be turned into an opportunity to build a model that is more fit for purpose and helps the business grow.
- Compressed timelines and 'pitch in a day' sessions, where agencies work through real business challenges with you, show how you will actually work together.
- An integrated model lets you draw on the right capabilities from across a holding company for each task, rather than managing many separate agencies.
- An agency will not solve your internal problems: match your own organisation and operating model to the agency, and create space for honest challenge and creative tension.
- Putting a meaningful share of agency fees at risk against KPIs such as market share, brand health and effectiveness removes excuses and creates shared accountability.
Watch the full session on YouTube: Reinventing Agency Partnerships: Building an Integrated Marketing Ecosystem in a Fragmented World
