Michael Gonda has been named Nike‘s new executive vice president and chief communications officer.

Gonda joined the footwear and athletic gear giant from McDonald’s, where he was chief impact officer.

In his new role beginning Monday, July 7, Gonda will oversee Nike’s global communications and communications strategy, including storytelling, corporate and brand reputation, issues management, and employee engagement.

He will also become a member of the company’s senior leadership team, reporting to president and CEO Elliott Hill.

Gonda’s appointment comes on the heels of Nike’s shake-up of its organizational structure and leadership team as it looks to counter years of sluggish sales.

The company divided its consumer, product, and brand leadership department into three distinct areas: consumer and sport, marketing, and product creation (inclusive of innovation and design).

In addition to Gonda, the new leadership team comprised Amy Montagne as president, Nicole Hubbard Graham as executive vp and chief marketing officer, Phil McCartney as executive vp, chief innovation, design, and product officer, and Tom Clarke as chief growth initiatives officer.

“Michael is a deeply strategic, emotionally intelligent, purpose-driven leader who understands the power of storytelling to move both brands and people,” Hill said in a statement. “His vision for driving impactful communications, his instinct for building high-performing teams, and his ability to form authentic connections will help Nike amplify the voice of sport and athletes around the world in bold and meaningful ways. I’m confident he’s the right leader for us as we put Nike back at the center of sport, and our team is excited for the vision and leadership he brings.”

Gonda added, “Nike has always been more than a brand—it’s a storyteller, a cultural force, and a catalyst for belief. I’m deeply honored to join a company that has shaped how people see themselves and the world around them, and I am humbled to help Nike tell the stories that matter, connect even more deeply with athletes and communities, and write the next ambitious chapter with Elliott and this team.”

Marriott International has hired Brad Hiranaga, former chief marketing officer (CMO) at General Mills, as svp, global experience design.

In a LinkedIn post, Marriott’s evp and chief customer officer, Peggy Roe, said: “As we grow and expand our portfolio of brands and experiences globally, Brad will ensure we are focused on what matters most to customers and that our brands are built on clear insights, high-quality standards, and purposeful design.”

“With a powerful blend of entrepreneurial spirit and brand leadership, Brad brings a fresh perspective that will evolve how our brands connect with consumers across generations and around the world.”

ADWEEK reached out to Marriott for further information on Hiranaga’s new remit.

The marketer brings over two decades of experience in consumer packaged goods, fashion, and retail to the position.

He worked at General Mills for 16 years in a variety of roles, culminating in a four-year tenure as CMO.

In 2022, he joined plant-based startup Beyond Meat as a consulting CMO before taking on his most recent position as chief brand officer for trendy outdoor clothing brand Cotopaxi in September that year.

Loyalty and experiences

Roe oversees a team that combines marketing, design, and data to create global strategies that drive customer experience, loyalty, and brand innovation across the hotel chain’s portfolio of over 30 brands and 9,000 properties across 144 countries.

At the heart of this approach is Marriott Bonvoy, a multi-branded rewards and loyalty program.

“We really think about Marriott Bonvoy as our consumer-facing master brand, and our positioning for Bonvoy is that it gives you access to people, places, and passions that you love,” Roe recently said on ADWEEK’s Speed of Culture podcast. “And inside of that is a portfolio of not just hotel brands, but of experiences.”

In February, the business reported an 18% boost in net income, reporting $665 million in net income for Q1 2025.

U.K.-based food delivery company Deliveroo named Lucia Mastromauro as its new vice president of advertising in a move to bolster its retail media network, Deliveroo Media.

In this role, Mastromauro will be responsible for Deliveroo’s advertising business, including strategy, product innovation, commercial growth, and operations across all markets.

Mastromauro joins Deliveroo from Choreograph, WPP’s data and technology consultancy, where she was managing director.

Her addition to Deliveroo comes as the company is set to be acquired by DoorDash, which announced the $3.9 billion transaction earlier this month.

The acquisition expands DoorDash’s reach to nine new countries where Deliveroo operates: Belgium, France, Italy, Ireland, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the U.K.

With that additional footprint, DoorDash will cover more than 40 countries, with a combined population exceeding 1 billion people.

“Lucia’s expertise and proven track record in digital media and client strategy make her perfectly placed to lead the next phase of growth for Deliveroo Media,” said Deliveroo chief business officer Carlo Mocci in a statement. “We’ve built a compelling retail media proposition that’s becoming a key part of our business model and revenue, and with the combination of new talent like Lucia and our ambitious strategy, we’re well-positioned to scale our advertising offer and deliver even greater value to our partners.”

Mastromauro added: “As the digital advertising landscape evolves, brands are looking for more relevant and meaningful ways to connect with consumers, and Deliveroo is uniquely positioned to deliver on that. I am excited to help shape what comes next and build on our mission to help brands ‘Deliver Meaningful Moments Now.’”

McDonald’s U.K. and Ireland division named Ben Fox as its new senior vice president and chief marketing officer.

In this role, Fox will lead the marketing teams in the region, oversee agency partnerships, and manage all food strategy and marketing campaigns.

He takes over for Michelle Graham-Clare, who moved on to the position of CMO and corporate vp for international operated markets.

Fox had been working in the food chain’s EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) international development license office as a senior director of marketing and strategy, responsible for shaping brand and business strategy across 36 markets.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to the U.K. and Ireland market and heading up an incredibly talented team, and it’s great being able to live and breathe the work they are executing every day,” Fox said in a statement.

He added, “We want to carry on creating exciting food that our customers want to talk about, experiences that create the next generation of McDonald’s memories, and exciting campaigns that connect with all of our customers in the way that only we can.”

At the time of his appointment, Fox had already been working with the marketing department, leading the successful A Minecraft Movie collaboration, which produced a new limited-edition menu.

BBH USA has appointed Connor Keeshan as managing director—a new role meant to guide the Publicis Groupe agency through its next chapter of growth.

Keeshan returns to BBH after a five-year stint earlier in his career as an account director. He will now lead account management, reporting to CEO Steven Panariello.

In his career, Keeshan has held senior account management roles at agencies including Johannes Leonardo and TBWA, working on global brands like PlayStation, British Airways, Volkswagen, Samsung, and Mercedes-Benz.

“I love a boomerang story,” Panariello told ADWEEK. “To spend time at BBH—and some of the best people in this industry have—is a fascinating common denominator.”

Keeshan will be tasked with keeping up the momentum for BBH USA, which has recently added 11 wins to its roster—including Goodyear, PayPal, Grey Goose, and PATRÓN.

Panariello, who joined as CEO in August, called the past several months a “thrilling ride.”

“The momentum has been really galvanizing,” he said, adding that the managing director role was needed to “operationalize growth” and “deepen client relationships as we continue to add new partners.”

As BBH enters what Panariello calls its “next pivotal chapter,” the agency is focused on strengthening leadership and sustaining its culture. Keeshan joins a leadership team that, in addition to Panariello, includes CCO Erica Roberts, CSO Samantha Deevi, and CMO Lindsey McNabb.

“There’s a lot of trust between the leaders,” Panariello said. “We know how to rely on each other and how to get the most out of each other, to show up best as an agency.”

He added that BBH has proven its capabilities around rebuilding “iconic brands” that have lost their status and want to reclaim their place in consumers’ minds.

With Keeshan on board, Panariello predicts more growth and “a really exciting new chapter for BBH USA.”

Fallon has appointed James Fox as chief strategy officer and Lauren Pulwer as managing director, rounding out its leadership team under new CEO Nikki Baker and CCO Leslie Shaffer.

Both execs are based in New York and officially join the agency this week.

Fox returns to Fallon after nearly two decades, having worked at the agency from 2003 to 2005. He was most recently global head of brand strategy for Goldman Sachs and previously led Red Peak as CEO through its sale to Hakuhodo in 2016.

“Fallon has always been the peak of the mountain for me when it comes to strategy,” Fox told ADWEEK. “The agency has never forgotten that creativity is the force multiplier in business and strategy is the lever we use. I couldn’t be prouder to return to my Fallon family after all these years.”

Pulwer, who most recently led the Walmart business at Publicis Groupe, steps into a role overseeing operations and client partnerships. She has held leadership roles at Arnold, McCann, and Ogilvy.

“Fallon has incredible passion and heart, and leads clients to big, culture-driving ideas,” said Pulwer. “I’m pumped to partner closely with James, Nikki and Leslie to write the next chapter for Fallon.”

Baker called Fox and Pulwer “the perfect pair” to help lead Fallon’s next chapter, citing their strategic and operational strengths.

David Droga, the founder of Droga5 and chief executive (CEO) of Accenture Song, is stepping down from his role in September.

Droga will assume a strategic role as vice chair across all of Accenture at the end of the current fiscal year, the company stated in a press release.

Ndidi Oteh, currently Accenture Song Americas’ lead, will take on the CEO job as of Sept. 1. Oteh, who has been with Accenture since 2011, will also join the global management committee (GMC). 

Meanwhile, Nick Law, the creative chairperson at Accenture Song, will become the new creative strategy and experience lead and join the GMC. 

From Droga5 to Accenture Song

Droga sold his eponymous agency Droga5, which he founded in New York in 2006, to Accenture Interactive in 2019 in a blockbuster $475 million deal.

Throughout the 2010s, the indie creative shop garnered a reputation for delivering award-winning work for brands including The New York Times, Under Armour, Puma, and Microsoft. It was ADWEEK’s first Agency of the Decade in 2019.

Following the sale, Droga was named CEO of Accenture Song in 2021. 

In 2022, under his leadership, the consulting giant rebranded its creative services division, Accenture Interactive, to Accenture Song, unifying over 40 acquisitions and groups under the name. 

Over the past four years, Song’s revenue grew from $12.5 billion to $19 billion for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2024. 

‘The Right Time’

“It has been a privilege to be part of so many missions and cultures around the world. With such extraordinary leadership in place, it felt like the right time. I could not be more confident that Ndidi, Sean, and Nick will continue building on Song’s legacy of innovation, creativity, and performance. I am also deeply grateful for Julie Sweet’s trust, our partnership, and what will be an enduring friendship,” Droga said in a statement. 

“I honestly could not be more grateful for my career and the opportunities I’ve had. The people who believed in me, the talent I’ve worked alongside, the clients we’ve served, the trust, the ambition, the camaraderie, it’s all part of me. After 30-plus years of leaping, I am ready to catch my breath. And being vice chair will allow me to do that, but also to contribute in new ways.”

“David Droga has long been a singular force and a once-in-a-generation creative leader and business builder, and he has lived our core value of stewardship and has developed the next generation of leaders who will build an even better Song,” added Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture.

“He brings humanity, imagination, clarity, and confidence to everything he touches and helps redefine how businesses grow and connect. His brilliance is matched only by his generosity, integrity, and belief in others. As Accenture’s vice chair, his legacy and impact will continue for our people, our work, and our purpose.”

Sophia Zhang is leaving her post as North America CEO of GALE less than three months after taking on the role, ADWEEK has learned.

Zhang, who was appointed to the job in March 2025, will depart the agency on May 30 to take on a new position at an undisclosed brand, according to a source familiar with the matter.

She has been with GALE since its founding in 2014, spending over a decade at the agency in various leadership roles—including managing partner—before ascending to the top North America post earlier this year.

GALE’s global CEO Andrew Noel, who has also been with the agency since 2014, will absorb Zhang’s responsibilities. The agency does not plan to refill the North America CEO position, consolidating leadership under Noel.

“GALE’s founding vision was to hire the best talent, drive enviable business outcomes, and be sought after by the world’s top brands. Sophia has an exciting new appointment ahead of her that’s a testament to that. She has built a strong and lasting legacy at GALE, and we wish her nothing but the best in her new role,” Noel told ADWEEK.

While Zhang’s departure may come as a surprise given how little time she’s spent in the North America CEO role, GALE leadership described the exit as amicable and celebratory. According to a source, Zhang had been in a months-long interview process for the new role prior to taking the NA CEO position at GALE.

GALE leadership was aware of her application but didn’t expect the opportunity to pan out—until it did.

“We love Sophia,” one executive said. “This was just a really incredible opportunity that she couldn’t pass up.”

When Marla Kaplowitz first took the helm of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As) in 2017, she had a clear expectation: three to five years of leadership, then a graceful exit. Instead, her journey with the organization stretched into eight years defined by resilience, bold decisions, and a reimagining of the agency trade association.

“When you come into an organization, you quickly realize that to make real, lasting change, it takes time,” Kaplowitz told ADWEEK. “And that’s something I’ve learned over and over.”

Kaplowitz will undoubtedly be remembered for the trust she rebuilt—particularly with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), a relationship that had frayed before her arrival due to ongoing transparency issues between agencies and clients. From the beginning, she understood that mending this rift would be critical for the industry’s future.

One of her most impactful initiatives was co-launching AdID, the industry’s first digital creative asset tracker, a collaborative effort she spearheaded alongside the ANA. The partnership was more than a technical innovation; it was a symbol of how two major industry players could unite on a common goal, working together to address deep-seated inefficiencies in the digital advertising ecosystem.

The AdID collaboration was just the beginning. Under Kaplowitz’s leadership, the ANA and 4As worked hand-in-hand to address the inefficiencies of the RFP process and create a more transparent framework for agency-client relationships, including working to curb the escalating costs of pitching.

“We saw the cost of pitching skyrocket. And for the first time, we were able to publicly share not just the agency costs, but the costs to marketers as well,” she said. “That was a turning point.”

When the world shifted

Kaplowitz was at the helm of the 4As when the COVID-19 pandemic hit—a crisis that would reshape the industry and test every aspect of leadership.

The disruption, though unwelcome, became an unexpected catalyst for change. Many of the shifts Kaplowitz had set in motion—like modernizing the industry’s approach to agency compensation—accelerated in the face of this unforeseen challenge.

“The pandemic hit like whiplash,” she recalled. “But, ironically, it became a catalyst for us. Clients needed their agencies more than ever, and agencies needed their trade associations more than ever.”

In the face of crisis, Kaplowitz had to make difficult decisions, including furloughing staff and freezing raises and bonuses. “It was one of the hardest parts of my job,” she said. “But we also knew we had to make some tough, short-term sacrifices to ensure the long-term survival of the organization.”

Under her leadership, the 4As rebounded swiftly, with a stronger team and a clearer sense of purpose. Kaplowitz said the organization’s net promoter score among its members, which had been stuck in the negatives, now sits at a 46.

“When I first arrived, we were facing a lot of skepticism. But today, we have a stronger, more engaged membership. That’s something I’ll always be proud of,” she said.

Rethinking agency compensation

One of Kaplowitz’s most enduring legacies is her work to modernize the industry’s approach to compensation.

“We need a reset on agency compensation,” she stated unequivocally. “The models we’ve relied on—full-time employee (FTE) or cost-plus—are outdated. We need outcome-based compensation that reflects the value we’re delivering in an era of data and technology.”

As the industry evolves, particularly with the growing integration of artificial intelligence, Kaplowitz believes this reset is more crucial than ever. “It’s time to rethink how we value the work agencies are doing,” she said.

Building an inclusive industry

Kaplowitz has kept the 4As committed to broadening access to the advertising industry through DEI and talent programs like MAIP and Vanguard. Under her leadership, eligibility was expanded to include neurodiverse individuals and those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

“It’s about making space for people who’ve traditionally been left out,” she explained. “Inclusivity isn’t just about race or ethnicity; it’s about embracing diversity in all its forms.”

Passing the torch

Now, Kaplowitz is passing the baton to newly minted 4As CEO Justin Thomas-Copeland, who Kaplowitz described as “bold, visionary, and truly understands the needs of agencies.”

“I’ve known Justin for years, and I’m excited to see where he takes the 4As next,” she said.

As she transitions out of her role, Kaplowitz plans to stay engaged with the industry through board work and advisory roles. “What excites me is continuing to work with senior leaders, helping them grow and evolve, and feeding my curious brain,” she said.

Reflecting on her career and the legacy she leaves behind, Kaplowitz is clear: “This is a chapter that I will always be proud of. But I’m excited for what’s next—for me and for the 4A’s. There’s still so much work to do, and I’m confident that Justin and the team will carry the torch forward.”