Razorfish London
Razorfish London has named Jim Mason as executive director of strategy & insight. Mason joins the London team from the Razorfish Atlanta office, and will be formally leading the practice which unites strategy, insights, planning, and analytics capabilities, supporting existing client teams and growing account base. As part of the senior leadership team, he'll be helping to establish the agency's marketing strategy practice as a centre of excellence, initially serving the UK, then building out across Europe, an expansion that will be helped by the acquisition by Razorfish of the European Nurun offices last year. Mason has 18 years of experience serving a variety of clients including Zappos, Victoria’s Secret, J.Crew, Avon, Nordstrom and Foot Locker. He was with Razorfish in Atlanta for over 4 years, during which time he led the strategy consulting discipline and sat on the senior leadership team. Before joining Razorfish, Mason spent more than six years at Deloitte Consulting.
Razorfish London has named Jim Mason as executive director of strategy & insight
Michael Karg, Razorfish International CEO and London chairman said, that “Digital has become the centre of how brands engage with consumers,” and the Razorfish marketing strategy practice is “Ideally suited to help clients transform their businesses to meet this new reality,” especially now with Mason on board. Mason himself, meanwhile, is “Delighted to join the London office and to enhance the Razorfish offering with a strategic marketing practice.” He said “Client executives are hungry for top-tier strategic advice,” and “Too often, they find guidance from their agencies too soft.” He believes that this is because “Traditional consulting firms out of touch with the consumer.” He feels that “Razorfish is perfectly positioned to provide consulting services formed with rigour and discipline rooted in deep consumer and brand understanding.”
BBDO New York
BBDO New York has named senior creative director Danilo Boer as head of art and design, a new role, which will make Danilo responsible for raising the level and quality of work across the board. He will report directly to BBDO New York CCO Greg Hahn and Worldwide CCO David Lubars. Boer joined BBDO in 2009 as an art director, and has spent the last 5 years creating award-winning work for clients such as AT&T, Foot Locker, Guinness, Mountain Dew and Visa. He has also been chosen as an ADC Young Gun, names on a 30 under 30 list, and served as a juror at Cannes Lions last year. Speaking of which, at the Cannes Lions Festival he has claimed over 20 awards, including a Cannes Lion Grand Prix for Billboard Magazine. Prior to joining BBDO New York, he worked at Almap BBDO in Brazil with clients and brands such as Pepsi, Volkswagen, Havaianas and Getty Images, amongst others.
BBDO New York has named senior creative director Danilo Boer as head of art and design
Hahn said “Anybody who has worked with Danilo knows that he is a creator with impeccable taste, unbridled enthusiasm and a gift for elevating the work.” He stresses that Boer will essentially “Be doing what he’s been doing since he started” at BBDO, but now they're “Just making it official.” Lubars adds that the choice to offer Boer this brand new position was “A no brainer,” because he is “A great leader and talented as hell.” Boer will assume his new role immediately.
VCCP
VCCP announced this week that Steve Garside has been hired as new business director. Garside has been poached by VCCP from Kitcatt Nohr, where he held the head of new business and marketing role. Before joining Kitcatt Nohr, Garside worked at the independent agency Pulse as new business manager, and he started his career in advertising at EHS Brann working across new business and account handling. He has long been heralded as “One to watch,” having been named as a former Campaign Face to Watch and a recipient of the DMA Young Spark award in 2010. At VCCP, he'll work to bolster new business for the agency's social, content, DRM and data capabilities under VCCP Kin and VCCPme, alongside fellow new business director Robert Wills. They will both report to group new business and marketing director Stephanie Brimacombe.
David&Goliath
Seema Miller was promoted this week to managing partner and chief strategy officer at David&Goliath by company founder David Angelo. Miller previously served as executive director and head of planning at the agency, and will be responsible for leading strategic insights across the agency’s roster of clients and new business endeavours, whilst continuing to report to Angelo. Miller joined D&G in 2013, and in just 2 years has made a huge impact at the agency by working with the entire team to put strategy at the forefront and implement a planning approach that comes from a place of truth. She has worked with Kia Motors, driving the agency's new business, and has built new clients such as Coca-Cola’s ZICO Coconut Water, hamburger chain Jack in the Box and project work for LG Mobile. Before joining D&G, Miller served as head of strategic insights at JC Penny, and has also spent time at agencies like Wieden+Kennedy and Leo Burnett. She was also recently named to Business Insider’s list of the 36 Most Creative Women in Advertising, coming in at number 24.
Seema Miller was promoted this week to managing partner and chief strategy officer at David&Goliath
Angelo has “Always believed that an effective strategy is the blueprint to unlocking greatness.” This strategy, he says, starts with the company name, which says “In two words and an ampersand, exactly what D&G do” and what it stands for.” He called Miller “The perfect example of someone who not only understands the importance of strategy but also has the unique ability to bring it to life across all facets of our clients’ brands.” He said he is “Passionate, relentless, and does it all with an infectious giggle.” Miller herself, added that she was initially drawn to D&G because of its “Reputation as a phenomenal creative shop with great minds.” What really excited her, however was “Their commitment to strategy, not just to sell work but to get to truths that inspire great work.” The announcement marks yet another addition to the executive leadership team following the news last July of Colin Jeffery’s promotion to chief creative officer and Brian Dunbar to president.
Saatchi & Saatchi
This week, Saatchi & Saatchi announced former Deutsch EVP and group account director Talia Handler to the same role, under which she will be charged with handling the agency's Chase account and will report directly to Saatchi & Saatchi chief executive Brent Smart. At Deutsch, Handler worked on the agency’s Microsoft and Jägermeister businesses, and Prior to this, she worked as a senior partner and executive marketing director at Ogilvy & Mather. Handler said that the new leadership team at Saatchi has “Such a clear, creative-focused vision that is very inspiring and palpable.” She believes that when you “Match that vision with Chase,” a brand that she has reportedly loved since she was 16, and she calls it “A perfect storm of an opportunity. Along with Chase, Saatchi's roster includes Toyota, Cheerios, and Pampers.
