Sonya Gill, founder and CEO of Toronto-based social media and PR company Youzus, has been appointed vice-president of engagement and a partner at Cummins & Partners.
The Australian advertising agency opened the doors to its Toronto office last month. Gill, her six employees at Youzus and its clients will be absorbed by Cummins.
“This is actually the third time we were being scouted by a company,” Gill says. “This was one time where it actually made a lot of sense. It’s a much larger agency and they work on a bigger scale with much bigger clients.”
Youzus clients includes BILSI Logistics and its sister company shipllama, along with a number of smaller accounts. Overall, the firm serviced 180 clients in its three years of operation, Gill says. “They’re very excited; nothing but congratulations all around,” she says of client reaction to the move.
Gill has written a book on social media marketing. She also published a monthly online magazine, The Youzus Report, which had 10,000 impressions and was mainly devoted to social media. It will continue to be published under the same name, but will be presented by Cummins & Partners.
At Cummins, Gill will lead strategy and execution of social media and online public relations campaigns. She will also be in charge of lead generation online and pitching in the digital sector.
Cummins now has between 20 and 25 employees in Toronto.
