Dear agencies: You still need someone the client likes.

Why project managers aren’t replacements for account managers—and what agencies get wrong when they treat them like they are.

McCann made headlines this week with a memo that’s either a revelation or a red flag, depending on how long you’ve worked in the industry.

According to an Adweek report, McCann is “reorienting around client teams,” trimming exec layers, and—here’s the kicker—investing in project managers as an evolution of the account management function.

“Whereas account people ‘typically do the same task over time,’ project managers ‘can manage the complexity of 15 projects at a time across very different things.’”

Cool. So, we’re just… erasing decades of account leadership in one tidy quote? Bold move.

Running 15 projects at once doesn’t guarantee your client will stick around. Someone still needs to be the person they like—and more often than not, that’s the account manager.

Why? Because account managers are trained to speak the client’s language. They know how to read a room, soothe nerves, pitch ideas, and make every feedback loop feel like progress, not punishment. It’s not just charm—it’s strategy. PMs keep trains running. AMs make sure the destination still makes sense. Without both, you’re just moving fast in the wrong direction.

The hybrid myth

Boutique, bootstrapped agencies have relied on project managers (PMs) to wear both hats—project lead and client partner—for years. I’ve been that person, juggling kickoff decks and contracts in the same hour, switching from tactical to strategic without flinching.

It can work—but only in the right context, with the right clients, and a very rare kind of talent.

And I do mean rare. These people are unicorns. (Yes, I realize I’m basically calling myself a unicorn. I’ve earned it.)

Case in point: I was at a beer garden in Philly over the weekend and ran into a colleague from a big-name agency. As I stood in line with her, she told me they’re no longer hiring senior talent in account or PM.

“We’re investing in juniors,” she said. “Training them up.”

I almost ordered a shot with that beer.

Look, I’m all for mentorship. But dropping a fresh-out-of-school hire into a hybrid PM/AM role is setting them up to fail. Leading complex projects and navigating client relationships requires experience, emotional intelligence, and the confidence to strike a balance between setting boundaries and demonstrating a sense of support.

That kind of presence doesn’t come from a training deck—it comes from time in the role.

It’s not about age. It’s about experience. That’s what builds the maturity to manage scope, earn trust, and make a client feel supported and steered. Without it? You’re not building hybrids—you’re building churn.

And while junior talent needs time to grow, clients spending millions aren’t looking for growth potential. They’re looking for leadership.

It’s not sustainable—or simple

Back when I was a senior PM at Razorfish, I challenged the “stay in your lane” culture and earned a seat at the client planning table. I helped shape the work, not just schedule it. That was not the norm then—and frankly, it still isn’t in most big shops.

So when I hear an agency say they’re replacing account managers with project managers, I don’t hear “innovation.” I hear: “We don’t fully understand what either role actually does.”

Because this isn’t just about task lists, it’s about how people think—and who they are.

Account managers are wired for connection. They read the room, build trust, talk clients off ledges, and make ambiguity feel like opportunity.
Project managers? We’re wired for clarity. We organize chaos, tame timelines, and ensure things get done on time, under budget, with fewer meltdowns.

Different strengths. Different personalities. And yes, occasionally you find someone who can flex across both. But that’s not a job description—it’s a superpower. And building an entire staffing model around that assumption? That’s not a strategy. That’s wishful thinking.

What’s getting missed here

Here’s what keeps bugging me: McCann is defining roles based on tasks, not impact. They’re assuming that if someone can juggle 15 projects, they can also deliver high-touch, strategic account service.

I’ve seen agencies try this before, and it rarely works unless you already have the right people on staff. Most don’t. Because those people are rare, and even rarer are the organizations that know how to keep them.

Why? Because hybrid leads—those unicorns—don’t just follow process. They push it. They grow fast. They lead. And if you’re not mentoring them, investing in them, and giving them room to evolve into real strategic partners? They’ll burn out—or they’ll bounce.

The truth is, most agencies aren’t built for that kind of growth. They want efficiency, not evolution. They want output, not leadership. So even if you do luck into hiring a unicorn, odds are you’ll lose them before you realize what you had.

Also—15 projects? Really?

Even the most seasoned PM/AM hybrid would struggle to give clients the attention and trust-building they deserve with that kind of load. That’s not a strategic model. That’s survival mode. And survival mode is where good relationships go to die.

McCann isn’t just tweaking roles—they’re redefining them in a way that’s never really aligned with the rest of the industry. That’s fine if it works for them. But let’s not pretend this is the new normal.

Because in most agencies, client retention still depends on one thing: whether there’s someone on the team the client actually wants to talk to.

Because sure, Mad Men is over. But replacing your Don Drapers with digital air traffic controllers and hoping for the best? That’s not evolution. That’s panic disguised as strategy.

And AI’s already drinking your office whiskey.

TL;DR:

Replacing account managers with project managers isn’t innovation—it’s confusion. Hybrid roles can work, but they require rare talent and real support. Clients still want someone they trust, not just someone who hits deadlines. If your agency is shifting to project-based work, start by understanding what these roles really require—and don’t assume one person can do it all.