Business

Yin Woon Rani to Head Universal McCann
By wchung | 07 Jun, 2026

Yin Woon Rani has been tapped to head up the North American operations of media agency Universal McCann.

Yin Woon Rani, new President of Universal McCann North America, has built a reputation for using innovative media strategies for brand launches and re-launches.

Yin Woon Rani is leaving her post as a senior vice president at Grey Worldwide group to become North American president of leading media agency Universal McCann (UM).

At Grey Rani had a notable success in leading a North American brand turnaround campaign for Pantene, which owner P&G called the “Best Commercial Innovation Initiative.” She was also recognized for her success re-launching TUMS for GlaxoSmithKline as head of Grey’s consumer healthcare team.

Rani will assume responsibility for all North American accounts and regional operations, including planning and buying media placements across all channels and business development. Rani’s move comes in time to influence the outcome of Exxon’s protracted creative and media agency review.

Rani will fill a post that has been vacant since January when Jacki Kelley was promoted from North American CEO to UM’s global CEO. UM is one of the Interpublic Group of media companies which recently restructured its media properties into three regional clusters, one of them being the North American cluster.

Yin Woon Rani was born into a Singapore family with members spread across 12 nations. She graduated magna cum laude from Yale University, then finished second in her class from the NYU-Stern executive MBA program. She is the mother of a preschooler.

As a seasoned media executive Rani has built a reputation for bringing innovative approaches to new product launches and brand turnarounds while working with brands like Downy, Clearasil, Jif, Crisco, Smucker’s, Milton Bradley, Pantene and TUMS. She is seen as a boss who enjoys coaching and mentoring team members.