Hilton Barbour, recently executive director of strategy at Organic, has joined Toronto creative agency Zulu Alpha Kilo as strategic planning director.
The role is a new one at the 45-person agency, which already has a small planning staff, “but we felt it was time to bring in someone to really lead the way in terms of strategy,” said agency president and creative director Zak Mroueh, who conducted an “extensive” search to fill the new role. “This is our first strategic planning lead.”
Barbour is a globetrotter, having studied economics in South Africa and landing gigs in London, New York and Toronto. Mroueh said he was impressed that Barbour was equally expert in both digital and traditional strategies. “He bridges both worlds, which is very important here.”
Barbour oversees all client strategy, but is currently “heavily involved” with Coca-Cola, a client Zulu picked up last year.
Barbour has a small group of direct reports, but just as the agency considers all staff members part of the creative team, so too are they on the strategy team,
“Zulu is on a great trajectory with a phenomenal client roster,” said Barbour, in a release. “I love how fiercely creative the shop is and how keen they are in blurring the line between traditional and digital. It’s a great time to join a shop that’s going places.”
