JWT Canada has made two additions to its senior creative team – former Sid Lee Toronto co-creative director Ryan Spelliscy and former Zulu Alpha Kilo group account director Carolyn Bingham.
The agency’s newly minted chief creative and integration officer Brent Choi indicated that more hires are on the horizon as the agency looks to further strengthen its offering.
Spellicsy arrives at JWT as senior vice-president and creative director, the latest stop in a career that includes stints with Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco, BBDO Toronto and Sid Lee Montreal. His resume includes work on global campaigns for Adidas and Stella Artois, and he won at Titanium Lion in Cannes for his work on Hyundai Assurance.
“Ryan represents where are moving toward as an agency – ideas without borders, in every medium and in thinking about what’s even possible,” Choi told Marketing via e-mail on Monday.
Bingham returns to JWT in the newly created role of VP, creative operations. Choi said that she has been a “superstar” in every agency she has worked, most recently at Zulu Alpha Kilo – where she spent nearly two years as a group account director, leading the team supporting Coca-Cola’s sparkling, still and juice businesses.
“[Bingham] brings a tremendous discipline to the quality of work, without losing the entrepreneurial drive to make things happen that haven’t been done before,” said Choi.
Prior to Zulu Alpha Kilo, Bingham spent nearly nine years at JWT, rising to the position of VP, group account director on the agency’s Nestlé (confectionary and ice cream business), Canada Bread, Diageo and Kellogg’s accounts.
“There’s definitely a type of creative person that I love,” said Choi when asked what he looks for when making a new hire. “[And] while there are other characteristics, number one is being a team player. To touch and move today’s consumer, creating a culture of collaboration is everything.”
The past six months have seen a lot of new faces take senior roles at the Toronto agency. Susan Kim-Kirkland was named CEO in October, taking over for Tony Piggot. Choi himself has only been at JWT since January after spending just over four years as Cundari’s chief creative officer. He assumed command of the creative team from Martin Shewchuk, who was made creative chairman.
