Lindsay Stein
Aug 27, 2019

Vice creative shop Virtue appoints new leadership team

The agency has picked up 45 new clients around the world in the past year.

Virtue's newly elevated leadership (L-R): Rob Newlan, Krystle Watler, Simon Mogren
Virtue's newly elevated leadership (L-R): Rob Newlan, Krystle Watler, Simon Mogren

Virtue, the creative agency launched from Vice, has promoted Rob Newlan to global president and Krystle Watler to managing director of North America amid a flurry of new client wins and award show recognition.

The shop also hired industry veteran Simon Mogren as executive creative director for North America, overseeing the creative teams across the Brooklyn, Los Angeles and Austin offices.

In the last year, Virtue has brought on 24 new clients in North America and 45 across international markets. The shop also took home a Grand Prix, a Glass Award and seven Lions at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this June.

Newlan has been with Virtue for two years when he joined the agency as CEO for EMEA, followed by most recently serving as chief executive of the international offices in Asia. Under his leadership, the Asia region has picked up a number of new accounts, including Puma, Pandora, Topshop, Budweiser and Footlocker.

As global president, Newlan – who previously held posts at Diageo, Coca-Cola and Facebook - will be responsible for 21 offices worldwide.

"Virtue’s global potential knows no bounds," said Newlan in a statement. "What we’ve seen the agency and its talent achieve in the past couple of years has been remarkable. From our growing APAC presence, to the fearless creativity in EMEA, to the inspiring portfolio of work from the Americas, I’m truly honored to be leading this team as we continue to build upon this current momentum."

Watler, most recently Virtue’s senior-VP and head of business development in North America, will now handle agency operations across all offices in the U.S. and Canada. During her time at the shop, she’s helped bring on new clients such as Beats by Dre, Indeed, Target, Urban Decay, AT&T and more.

The shop's newly appointed creative leader in North America, Mogren, has worked at the likes of DDB Stockholm, Ogilvy Paris and BBDO New York on accounts including Louis Vuitton, AT&T, Bacardi, PepsiCo, Dove Beauty, Footlocker and Ikea, among others.

Source:
Campaign US

Related Articles

Just Published

1 hour ago

40 Under 40 2024: Tala Booker, Via

What does it take to build a global communications agency in a year? Ask Tala Booker, the former HSBC executive who's rewriting the rules.

3 hours ago

Majority of marketers are unprepared to combat ...

A report from Forrester highlights the risks that companies face from deepfakes, as well as the current inadequate state of preparation to combat the problem.

3 hours ago

The unbearable cost of truth

As information retreats behind paywalls and attention splinters into subscription tiers, advertising faces its terminal paradox: We've made truth so expensive that soon, no one will be left who can afford to buy what we're selling.

3 hours ago

Amazon, Google among platforms under fire for ads ...

Following an Adalytics report linking ads from big tech to websites hosting child sexual abuse material, US Senators demand accountability. Advertising expert Arielle Garcia asks the damning question: "How much child sexual abuse is enough for them to take action?"