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Work Background
Ubuntu One LLCFounder & CEO
Jun. 2021Chicago, Illinois, United StatesAs Founder and CEO, I am responsible for all aspects of business management and the key driver of deep and trusted client relationships and consulting, to a wide array of clients in several business sectors. Ubuntu One is a brand consultancy firm that sits at the intersection of brand marketing and corporate reputation management. At Ubuntu One, we believe in the power of connection. Ubuntu's ancient African philosophy says, 'I am because we are.' Your success is my success; your failure is my failure. In an interconnected world, understanding and being able to make the connection between cultural trends, technology, business and economic drivers, consumers, stakeholders and employees, marketing, and PR is a unique skill and secret weapon in the fight for relevance and impact. We have changed the agency model to harness the best talent when it's needed, to answer complex marketing and communication briefs. There is no 'fat' in our model; it's cost-effective and a highly focused approach to delivering 'big agency' thinking without the swirl. At the core is our connection to our clients. Our investment in their business, their goals, and their success.
EdelmanChair US Brand
May. 2020 - May. 2021Chicago, Illinois, United StatesResponsible for driving Edelman's brand business forward in the USA. Working with a team of brand experts across our US offices, defining modern brand work with 'earned creative' at the core. Overseeing numerous lines of business, focusing on growth initiatives and business development, partnerships and integration across our practices, specialty areas, creative, planning, data and analytics, experiential etc. Fostering the philosophy of art and science in our quest to produce work that makes a difference, is grounded in culture and produces measurable results for our clients. Also responsible for overseeing our oldest brand practice in our HQ in Chicago working with a team of highly skilled and motivated team members. Driving a vision with earned, data and creativity at the core extending to analytics, digital, social, performance marketing, e-commerce, experiential and IRM.
EdelmanVice Chair Brand, USA
Mar. 2020 - May. 2020Chicago, Illinois, United States
OgilvyGroup Managing Director/Co-lead Ogilvy Chicago
Apr. 2017 - Mar. 2020Greater Chicago Area• A member of the US Leadership Team and responsible for co-leadership of the integrated Chicago office of Ogilvy, reporting to the CEO USA. Management and responsibility for day-to-day operations including culture and morale; HR, financial reporting, revenue management and margin control for a sizable client portfolio; resource management and cost control; agency operations across account, strategic planning, creative, production and administration. • Managing the transformation of Ogilvy to one P&L and the integration of the individual capabilities (advertising, PR, Customer Engagement, Digital and Social) into one entity in the Chicago office. • Responsible for driving growth in the Chicago location: identifying opportunities, responding to RFP’s and pitching both pure play PR & Influence opportunities and large integrated accounts. • Responsible for client stewardship at the c-suite level and fostering trusting relationships with key integrated clients. Driving organic growth through consultative selling and a deep understanding of individual disciplines and integrated planning. • Overall responsibility for the PR & Influence capability in the USA. Developing the US growth strategy and vision for the capability and galvanizing the PR&I community of 300 PR&I professionals in the USA. Evangelizing the capability within the integrated Ogilvy and driving organic growth and new business growth on a national and global scale. Driving product innovation at the intersection of PR, advertising, digital and social marketing, and customer engagement. Coordinating and representing the PR&I leadership in Atlanta, San Francisco, Denver, Sacramento, LA, D.C., New York and Chicago to the broader Ogilvy community. Working in collaboration with agency offices globally as required and WPP agencies.
OgilvyHead of PR & Influence: USA
Jan. 2017 - Mar. 2020Greater Chicago Area• Overall responsibility for the PR & Influence capability in the USA, reporting to John Seifert, Global CEO. Responsible for developing in collaboration, Ogilvy’s strategic point-of-view for the PR & Influence capability, namely ‘Earning Influence to Make Brands Matter’. Evangelizing the IP and mobilizing global teams to develop tools in support of the positioning. Senior counsel and trusted partner to clients at the CEO, CMO and CCO level. Leading, mobilizing and inspiring integrated teams of digital, advertising, customer engagement, social, PR and data specialists to produce integrated and pure play campaigns that deliver great creative work and results. Operationalizing integrated teams and spearheading 'ways of working' in an integrated ecosystem, customized to unique client needs. Uniting the 300 PR & Influence professionals behind the capability ‘vision’ and setting up organizational structures to integrate PR&I into the rest of Ogilvy. Fostering relationships and cross-collaboration with multiple capabilities, specialist Ogilvy companies and WPP agencies globally and in multiple locations across the USA. Driving product innovation at the intersection of PR, advertising, analytics, digital and social marketing, and customer engagement.
OgilvyAppointed to Global EXCO
Sep. 2015 - Mar. 2020Appointed to global team tasked with driving overarching growth strategy and future imagining for Ogilvy Public Relations worldwide.
OgilvyManaging Director, Chicago Office Lead
Apr. 2014 - Jan. 2017Greater Chicago AreaResponsible for Chicago’s strategic direction and growth, overseeing client accounts, financial performance, business development, talent and office operations. Working closely with the US and global network and as a strategic partner to O&M's leadership team in Chicago to create new and exciting work and forge new client relationships across disciplines. Responsible for overseeing a high performance team at OPR and a cohesive team culture.
Ketchum Public RelationsDirector Ketchum Atlanta
Jan. 2014 - Mar. 2014Atlanta, GeorgiaResponsible fo day-to-day management, vision and strategic direction of Ketchum's Atlanta office. Driving growth strategy and responsible for financial delivery of targets set by listed holding company, Omnicom. Responsible for driving culture and morale, oversight of HR functions and performance of a team of highly qualified star performers.
Ketchum Public RelationsSVP, Director Corporate and Business Development
Jul. 2011 - Dec. 2013Atlanta, GeorgiaResponsible for business development and growth planning, strategy and integration for Ketchum in the South. Member of the Senior Leadership Team and member of the Ketchum global New Business Network.
Responsible for directing and growing the corporate practice at Ketchum South and strategic client counsel with the agency's key corporate accounts.
Magna CartaChief Executive Officer
May. 1996 - May. 2011Johannesburg and Cape Town, South AfricaCo-founder and Managing Director of Magna Carta, South Africa's largest and leading PR agency. Led the agency to market leadership and numerous local and international awards. Provided strategic direction, new business; financial control and marketing to the organisation as well as senior client consultation to global and South African blue-chip client base.
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