One of the youngest CEOs of a top ten U.S. media services agency, Laura Desmond’s career has been driven by two caveats: keep your eye on the goal and learn more from failure than from success. This approach has served her well throughout her meteoric media career during which she has earned seven promotions − including one in 2002 to her current post. Under Desmond’s leadership, MediaVest has been awarded significant new business assignments from both new and existing clients including Coca-Cola, Masterfoods, Procter & Gamble and more recently, EarthLink and Mattel. In addition to new business, MediaVest evolved its core services to include dedicated expertise across digital, entertainment marketing, print and consumer context planning (CCP). Armed with a 50+ year heritage of innovation and industry firsts, Desmond has led MediaVest to leadership status earning the company a number of high profile accolades including ADWEEK’s 2004 “Media Agency of The Year” as well as “Media Agency of The Year” by Advertising Age and Media magazine under SMG. Additionally, MediaVest consistently receives one of the highest “grades” awarded to a top ten U.S. media services company by ADWEEK and RECMA. In 2004, MediaWeek named Desmond Media Executive “All Star”, Business 2.0 named her to its Dream Team of Young Executives as its only representative from the advertising and media services industries, and most recently Advertising Age named her “Media Maven”. Prior to her current role, Desmond was named chief executive, Starcom MediaVest Group Latin America in 2000. In a fairly unique arrangement, Desmond worked as an interim media services director for General Motors while still a Leo Burnett employee. Desmond was also the international media director based in London on leading brands including Kellogg and Coca-Cola. Desmond began her career at Starcom in 1987 as a media associate. Last Updated: 2005