Toronto agency Blackjet has bolstered its creative firepower with the appointment of former DDB Canada co-executive creative director Adam Thur as its first-ever ECD. He officially assumes the role on Monday.

The appointment follows an extensive six-month search for talent at the ECD and chief creative officer levels that spanned both Canada and international markets. His hire is part CEO Rob Galletta’s plan to reinvent and aggressively grow Blackjet over the next couple of years.

Thur will oversee an approximately 15-person creative team across the Blackjet and Spider Marketing divisions. Galletta said he will play a key role in nurturing talent and elevating the agency’s creative reputation, with an eye towards driving new business through increased awards show success.

“Adam has a track record for growing the creative product at DDB and before that Union [now DonerNorth], and we expect him to do the same for us,” he said.

Thur will be instrumental in helping the agency achieve its growth goals, said Galletta. That includes a 2.5x increase in revenue by the end of 2026, through a combination of organic growth and “opportunistic” acquisitions, similar to this year’s purchase of shopper marketing specialist Spider Marketing.

Blackjet describes itself as a brand strategy and business growth consultancy backed by content studios, with Galletta calling it a “disintegrated” agency whose capabilities span branding and strategy, shopper marketing and a developing content arm.

Galletta said that Thur’s arrival will enable him to shift his focus from working “in the business to on the business,” as it grows. The past 12 months have seen Blackjet add Onlia Insurance, Gay Lea Foods, Japan National Tourism Organization and the NHLPA to its client roster.

Galletta attributed the agency’s success to its ability to create a clear vision for growth while building out its senior leadership team that, in addition to Thur, also includes VP of operations Jordan Minnaar; Spider Marketing president Rico DiGiovanni; group account director Alexandra Dalfen; VP of digital and content Sonja Davies; and chief growth officer Paul Mead.

Thur’s portfolio includes work for major brands including Dairy Farmers of Canada, IKEA, EQ Bank, Audi, Holt Renfrew and Best Buy Canada. Prior to joining DDB, he spent nearly eight years as ECD of Union Creative. His career also includes stops at Leo Burnett, Juniper Park, Taxi 2 and Lowe Roche.

“From the first time we met, it was clear to me that Blackjet is poised for big things, and is uniquely positioned for the future of the industry,” said Thur in a release. “I was instantly drawn in, not just by our shared creative ambition, but by our shared values.”