About Us

Who We Are

Roth Ryan Hayes helps the world's leading marketers choose, structure and pay for the agencies, talent and AI tools behind their brands.

We sit at the table with marketing, finance, procurement and agencies, and give each an objective answer backed by proprietary data. The result: faster searches, a leaner resource stack and partnerships that keep paying off.

Recent clients include Navy Federal Credit Union, SeatGeek, the NFL, Porsche, the Kraft Foundation/Blue Square Alliance, Enterprise Mobility and Ross Stores.

What We Believe

  • The best partner should win. Merit, not relationships, should decide who gets the business.
  • Objectivity is the product. We're independent and solution-agnostic. We work for the outcome, not a roster.
  • Data beats opinion. Every recommendation is benchmarked and defensible.
  • Partners and people are one system. The right agency needs the right team on both sides.
  • AI sharpens judgment. It speeds the work; experience still makes the call.

Our Team

Matt Ryan

Founder & CEO

Matt leads Roth Ryan Hayes, one of the country's leading marketing operations consulting and agency search firms. He was previously Global CEO of WPP's United Network and Co-Chairman and President of Global Brands at Havas Worldwide, leading work for Jaguar, Volvo, Merck and Reckitt Benckiser. Earlier he founded digital pioneer Ryan, Drossman & Partners, launching MovieFone, SportsLine.com and TheStreet.com, then led public company Change Technology Partners through 12 acquisitions. Syracuse University graduate.

Russel Wohlwerth

Partner

Russel has advised marketers worldwide on agency management for more than 20 years, leading 250+ searches representing billions in billings. A former SVP, Group Account Director at DDB, he founded External View and co-founded Ark Advisors. His clients include Adobe, BMW, Intel, Microsoft, Toyota, Visa and the NFL, and he is active with the 4A's, ANA, AMA and ISBA.

Michael-Palma

Michael Palma

Founder, The Palma Group · Strategic Alliance Partner

Michael is the founder of The Palma Group, RRH's alliance partner for executive recruiting and agency growth. Since 1989 he has placed 1,500+ professionals at more than 200 agencies, run 100+ agency reviews for brands including Coca-Cola, Heineken USA, Arby's, Zaxby's and Fender, and helped agency clients win $500M+ in new business. He was previously SVP, Director of Business Development at BBDO.

Jonathan Spira

External Advisor

Jonathan is Director, Marketing and Corporate Services Procurement at Subway. He founded and led media management practices at Accenture and PwC, focused on contract modernization, media ROI, benchmarking and agency search. He began at MediaCom serving P&G, GSK and Sprint, and holds an MBA in Marketing from Fordham.