Jeanine Cicenia is a dynamic and highly accomplished executive whose career spans two decades at the intersection of commercial strategy, business development, finance, and client operations within the media, advertising, entertainment, and technology sectors. Based in New York City, Jeanine is known for her ability to connect people, ideas, and business goals—transforming complex challenges into high-impact growth opportunities. With deep expertise in contract negotiation, strategic planning, and operational excellence, she has built a legacy of delivering exceptional results in both Fortune 500 companies and high-growth agency environments.
Most recently serving as Chief Financial Officer for Dentsu Media, Jeanine led the commercial and financial strategy across a $9B billings portfolio and $800M in revenue, guiding three global media brands—Carat, iProspect, and dentsu X—toward enhanced profitability and market and service expansion. Her leadership was instrumental in shaping global and regional pitches, driving innovation in commercial models and negotiation strategy.
Prior to Dentsu, Jeanine held a pivotal role at Interpublic Group (IPG) as SVP, Global Commercial Director at Kinesso and Matterkind. There, she played a critical role in propelling 25% growth by reimagining commercial deal structures and building outcome-based models that resonated with major global clients such as Amazon, J&J, Lego, and BMW. Her ability to partner across procurement, legal, growth and finance functions allowed her to successfully renegotiate multimillion-dollar contracts while fostering client relationships.
Her tenure at WPP further solidified her reputation as a top-tier commercial strategist. As SVP and CFO for Essence North America, she oversaw a $300M+ business, developed scalable systems across eight offices, and integrated multiple finance and operations teams—all while championing commercial strategies for clients like Google and NBCUniversal. At GroupM’s Arrow and Wavemaker, Jeanine was instrumental in driving agency growth through rigorous account profitability management, staff planning, and innovative client engagement models.
Earlier in her career, Jeanine made a mark in content distribution and new media while at HBO, where she played a key role in launching streaming platforms like HBO Max, and business development for international mobile, streaming, and broadband deals. Her foundational experience spans additional strategic and technical roles at Next Century Productions, Anheuser-Busch, and Sony Music Entertainment, where she managed multi-disciplinary teams and delivered enterprise-wide solutions across global markets.
Jeanine holds an MBA in Business Strategy and International Business from Washington University in St. Louis and completed executive education at Columbia Business School. She also holds a professional certificate in Intellectual Property Law from NYU and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics from Pace University.
With a reputation for being both a strategic thinker and a collaborative leader, Jeanine has become a trusted advisor to CEOs, CFOs, and senior leadership teams alike. Her ability to architect creative deal structures, drive business transformation, and lead high-performing teams has earned her a respected voice across the media and tech ecosystem. Whether guiding a new market entry, reshaping an agency P&L, or leading complex licensing negotiations, Jeanine’s impact is defined by precision, partnership, and a relentless focus on sustainable and profitable growth.
Character
Jeanine Cicenia is a values-driven leader known for her integrity, resilience, and collaborative spirit, consistently fostering trust with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders while navigating complex business environments with clarity and purpose.
Knowledge
With an MBA and over two decades of executive experience, Jeanine brings a deep understanding of financial strategy, commercial deal-making, and operational leadership across media, advertising, entertainment, and technology sectors.
Strategic
Jeanine transforms business challenges into growth opportunities by aligning financial and business goals and go-to-market strategies with overarching business objectives, driving profitability and competitive advantage at a global scale.
Communication
Jeanine is an articulate and influential communicator who excels at building consensus among cross-functional teams, leading client negotiations, and presenting complex business cases with clarity to executive leadership and stakeholders.
