Carla Serrano Joins Publicis Kaplan Thaler as Chief Strategy Officer

NEW YORK CITY, NY (January 16, 2014) – Andrew Bruce, CEO for Publicis North America, today announced the appointment of Carla Serrano as Chief Strategy Officer for Publicis Kaplan Thaler, effective February 10, 2014.  Serrano, a leading planning expert, brings over 20 years of experience in brand strategy and integrated communications through her work on many of the world’s most successful global brands.

Serrano joins Publicis Kaplan Thaler from Naked Communications, where she was CEO.  In her new post as Chief Strategy Officer, Serrano will lead strategy development across digital, brand planning, analytics and social channels, working closely with Publicis Kaplan Thaler’s Chairman, Linda Kaplan Thaler, and President/Chief Creative Officer, Rob Feakins.

In making the announcement, Bruce said, “Carla is an amazingly talented and innovative strategic leader who is at the forefront of modern brand building.  She understands and fully embraces the transformation that has taken place in our industry with digital, social and consumer empowerment at the core. I had the pleasure of working with Carla at the start of our careers, and have watched her achieve great success for her clients and agencies ever since.  I am so thrilled to be on the same team again.”In making the move, Serrano said, “Andrew, Linda and Rob’s vision deeply aligns with my belief about strategy today, where theory and practice, strategy and creative, content and channel merge seamlessly in expression. The Publicis network’s commitment to strategically fueled creativity and dynamic integration is refreshing, critical, and exciting.”

Serrano started her advertising career at Chiat/Day Toronto at a time when account planning was an emerging discipline in North America. From the start, she worked on iconic brands including Apple and Nissan, then Pepsi and Frito-Lay while at BBDO. Serrano moved to New York to rejoin TBWA Chiat/Day where she helped embed and cultivate the agency’s proprietary creative strategy process. She went on to become TBWA’s Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to her most recent post at Naked, Serrano was with Berlin Cameron United as Planning Director and was promoted to President in 2009 having helped win and lead global brands such as Samsung, Coca-Cola and Hennessy.

About Publicis Kaplan Thaler
Publicis Kaplan Thaler is the New York flagship office of Publicis North America, the regional operating unit of Paris-based Publicis Worldwide, the largest global network within holding company Publicis Groupe S.A.

With over 650 employees, Publicis Kaplan Thaler is a fully integrated advertising agency with digital, social and technology at its core. The Agency’s blue chip client roster includes: Procter & Gamble, CITI, Nestle, Merck, Pfizer, TriHonda, Wendy’s, L’Oreal, and Aflac, among others. Its mission is ‘To Lead the Change’ to help clients leap ahead. To learn more about Publicis Kaplan Thaler, follow @PKTtweets, like on Facebook or visit pkt.com.

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