EXHIBIT 31.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

I, Mark Penn, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K/A of MDC Partners Inc.; and

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report. 

/s/ Mark Penn

Mark Penn

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

April 29, 2020