New Appointments — Innocean Worldwide
Innocean Worldwide has named three new directors at its Toronto office: Liza Barnes as group account director overseeing the Genesis Canada account; Emma Cunningham as director of strategic planning for the Hyundai Canada and Genesis accounts; and Kelsey Davidson to account director, retail and after sales, for Kia Canada.
Barnes brings more than 20 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies including several prominent automotive brands. Prior to joining Innocean, she was managing director of One10 Canada.
Cunningham’s prior experience includes roles with Oliver, Wunderman Thompson, Cossette, FCB and Union, working with clients spanning the consumer healthcare CPG, food, beauty and government spaces. Davidson joined Innocean as an account supervisor in 2020, and taken on additional roles including support on brand level initiatives and the creation and execution of brand experiences for KIA.
New Appointments — Mindshare
Mindshare Canada has named Lesley Conway as CEO, leading the agency’s 200-person team, and joining the network’s global executive committee and GroupM across the region. Conway has spent more than 25 years in media, working with companies including Hatch64, Bell and Astral, as well as her own consultancy.
“Mindshare is an incredible network with an inspiring vision, strong values, great products, and capabilities,” said Conway in a release. “I am excited to bring together the creative talent and diverse expertise of Mindshare Canada to drive growth for our clients, helping them navigate changing dynamics in customer expectations and disruptive technology.”
Mindshare North America CEO Amanda Richman praised Conway as a “growth-focused leader” who is known for her strategic business sense, as well as her dedication to clients and culture. “We are thrilled to welcome her to Mindshare, and I’m really looking forward to working closely together in the years to come,” she said.
New Business — Cossette
Cossette has been named agency of record for Indigo Books and Music following an RFP. Indigo president Peter Ruis said that it was immediately clear to the retailer that the agency understood the business, while demonstrating a “commitment to creating great end-to-end customer experiences” rooted in rich human storytelling.
“We’re excited to be working with the Indigo brand at a pivotal moment for the company as they transform their mission to support their customers,” said Daniel Shearer, Cossette’s president, Ontario and West.
“The Indigo customer proposition is deeply meaningful, and as the retail landscape has shifted, Indigo’s differentiated in-store and digital experience has evolved to align to the changing needs of its employees, customers, and the communities it serves.”
New Appointments — 1Milk2Sugars
Toronto’s 1Milk2Sugars has made a series of additions and promotions to accommodate significant new growth since the beginning of the year.
The new hires include senior account director Patricia Amato; client services and marketing manager Nathali Perez; PR account executives Stephanie Caputo and Phynicia Chop and talent executive Annabelle Irakiza. New promotions include Lindsay Sganga to senior manager, digital marketing; Kaitlyn Farrowand Sameli Valina, associate account manager; and Shenique Rochester, senior account executive.
The agency says it has grown by 30% since January, adding eight new clients including Canada Dry, NotBurger, Mott’s Clamato, Keurig, Lagostina, Herbivore Botanicals, UltuCup and Indigo Group.
“Like so many Canadian SMEs, these last few years have challenged us to think differently and redefine what’s possible on behalf of our clients,” said Ruth Goudie, vice-president, general manager and partner. “We’re humbled to be where we are today and to be forging into the future with the wind at our back.”
New Appointments — H+K Strategies
Hill+Knowlton Canada has made a series of additions to its national creative studio in Toronto that it says will help it deliver what it describes as a “broader range of conceptual thinking” across sectors and services.
The new additions include Greg Gray, who will lead the Toronto-based studio while creative director Elma Foric is on leave. Gray has spent more than two decades creating campaigns across media and for categories including financial services, technology and innovation, consumer goods and more.
Other additions to the team include Sharon Serebrok as design director; Josh Sam as senior video producer; and Kimberly Dabrowski has also joined the creative studio as video producer.
“H+K’s Innovation and Creativity Hub has been one of the key driving forces behind our incredible growth in the last two years,” said H+K’s chief innovation officer, Hilda Kinross. “We are focused on infusing a creative culture at all levels of the business, and this, together with our sector focused model, is propelling our award-winning work.”
