DDB Canada Bolsters Its Executive Leadership With Three New Appointments

Patty Jones and Michelle Kitchen are named EVP, co-managing directors for Vancouver and Melanie Johnston is promoted to president in Toronto 

VANCOUVER and TORONTO, April 23, 2015 /CNW/ - DDB Canada is pleased to announce three new, strategic appointments in its Vancouver and Toronto offices. Long-time DDB veterans Patty Jones and Michelle Kitchen have been promoted to EVP, co-managing directors of DDB Canada Vancouver, and Melanie Johnston has been promoted to president of DDB Canada Toronto.

Lance Saunders, who was recently appointed as DDB Canada's national president and chief operating officer, made the announcements today, filling these key leadership roles.

"Patty and Michelle are two passionate leaders, each with their own unique complementary skills; together, this duo will excel at the helm of our Vancouver office," explains Saunders.  "Our Toronto office has also experienced exponential growth, and Melanie has played an instrumental role in that context; under her leadership, I know the Toronto office will continue to flourish and push new boundaries." 

Jones has been with DDB Canada Vancouver for 15 years, and Kitchen has a combined 16 years in both the Toronto and Vancouver offices.

These promotions recognize Jones and Kitchen's deep client relationships and new business wins, as well as their contributions in helping to transform the Vancouver office with an improved operational model.  This has created opportunities for the next level of new agency strategic partnerships with universities, entrepreneurs and business consultancies. As a result, the office's client roster has expanded to now serve both domestic and key US centres.

Johnston has been with DDB Canada for over a decade and has held numerous titles including group account director, client services director and since 2010 SVP, managing director of the Toronto office. Johnston has contributed greatly to DDB Canada Toronto's growth and innovation story, most recently with the Volkswagen Canada new business win. As president, Melanie will be responsible for people development, creative product, revenue growth, and overall stewardship of the Toronto agency.

These appointments not only build upon DDB Canada's heritage of cultivating top talent and promoting from within, but they also mark an important milestone for the Canadian marketing communications industry. DDB Canada is now the only major agency in the country with female leadership at the helm of all of its offices. This includes: Patty Jones and Michelle Kitchen, EVP, co-managing directors of DDB Canada Vancouver; Helene Leggatt, president of DDB Canada Edmonton; Melanie Johnston, president, DDB Canada Toronto; and Monique Brosseau, vice-president and managing director, DDB Canada Montreal.

"DDB Canada is proud to advance gender equality in the workplace," says Frank Palmer, chairman and CEO, DDB Canada.  "We hire and promote our people based on individual talent and merit, and in each of these cases the best person for the job just happened to be a woman."

About DDB Canada
DDB Canada is the most creatively acclaimed, internationally recognized marketing communications agency in Canada.  The agency was named Top Creative Agency in strategy magazine's 2015 Creative Report Card and was ranked #1 agency in Canada by the Gunn Report in 2014.  Known for advertising that generates significant results for clients, DDB Canada is a "total communications company" whose fundamental belief is that creativity is the most powerful force in business. DDB Canada has offices in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal. The agency's integrated marketing disciplines include: youth marketing, public relations, event management digital, social, mobile, branding, design, direct, CRM, recruitment marketing and shopper marketing.

SOURCE DDB Canada

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