Taxi has hired Graham Lang as its new chief creative officer for North America. Lang joins from Juniper Park\TBWA, and starts with Taxi June 20.
The appointment comes two months after Taxi’s previous CCOs for Canada, Alexis Bronstorph and Kelsey Horne, left to join No Fixed Address. However Lang has been given a wider remit to cover Canada and the U.S. It’s the first time the agency has had a North American CCO in almost eight years.
“The need [for a North American CCO] has come back as Taxi elevates and integrates more with the VMLY&R global network,” said CEO Rob Guénette. “Taxi has been collaborating throughout the broader network on accounts like Microsoft, Intel and Coke, as well as direct collaborations with VMLY&R agencies like Scholz & Friends in Germany.”
It’s a lot of ground to cover, but Lang can lean on a “strong group of senior creative leaders across the Taxi network in each agency from Vancouver to New York,” said Guénette.
“I’m focused on adding to the agency’s legacy and know that through collaboration we can take it to new heights,” said Lang in a release. “I look forward to supporting the already strong creative leadership team across the network, as well as working closely with Taxi presidents Emma Toth in Canada, David Jenkins in the U.S., and Christine Maw at Type1.”
Lang arrives at Taxi after a little more than four years at Juniper Park\TBWA, a period that saw strong, often award-winning creative output across a range of clients, from New York Fries and Save Our Libraries, to Nissan, Apple, GoDaddy and PepsiCo. Lang oversaw the launch of CIBC’s new creative platform last year (though that account is now in review), and was creative lead on the “Signal for Help” for the Canadian Women’s Foundation, which won awards—and saved lives—around the world.
“We’re grateful for Graham’s contributions at Juniper Park\TBWA over the last four years—from becoming the number one single office on the 2022 ICA Power List, to the 2021 Effie Agency of the Year, and through countless creative awards and client wins,” said Juniper Park\TBWA CEO Jill Nykoliation. “[W]e view every change as an opportunity to grow and disrupt, and this is no exception. We are excited to lean into the new and look forward to announcing new creative leadership soon.”
For Lang, the move to Taxi also represents a return to the VMLY&R network, where he spent more than six years as CCO for Y&R South Africa before moving to Toronto to join Juniper Park\TBWA. Lang will also join the VMLY&R global creative board led by Debbi Vandeven.
