Hasta La Creative!

MRM//McCann promoted Ariana Stolarz to the role of global chief strategy officer.

“Throughout Ariana’s U.S. and international agency career, she has developed smart brand strategies focused on understanding consumer behavior as it relates to the fast-evolving world of digital technology,” said Bill Kolb, president, diversified agencies, McCann Worldgroup. “In her expanded role, she will help MRM//McCann continue to integrate brand insights with data and technology in ways that help our clients generate innovative and business-building customer-relationship solutions.”

Stolartz joined MRM//McCann in October of 2013 and led the New York and Princeton strategy teams before being promoted to  global director of strategy two years later. Before joining the agency she spent nearly four years as managing director, experience strategy with mcgarrybowen, leading digital and social media strategy for the agency on all accounts. Prior to that she spent nearly six years with The Vidal Partnership as director of digital strategy, following over a year and a half as regional project manager, direct and digital for JWT Miami.

She appears to be the MRM//McCann organization’s first strategy leader on the global level. Her promotion follows a May executive shakeup that saw CEO Michael McLaren depart along with the agency’s head of client services; MRM//McCann has yet to name a new chief executive, though McCann Worldgroup president of diversified agencies Bill Kolb has been handling those responsibilities for the past four months. The move followed client Verizon’s earlier decision to consolidate its FiOS direct marketing business with independent agency Rauxa.

“No matter how complex the marketing landscape gets, we still need our best and brightest focused on finding strong human truths that help inspire the ideas we make, no matter the form,” said McCann Worldgroup global CSO Suzanne Powers. “Ariana’s got it all: From her experience in social sciences and all things digital to her strong strategic acumen and intuitive understanding of brands and people; she’s the perfect blend.”