L.A.’s Zambezi recently made another change atop its creative team as partner and ECD Josh DiMarcantonio left to take the freelance route.
The departed creative joined Zambezi, along with chief strategy officer Kristina Jenkins, in the halcyon days of summer of 2015 after working on Expedia and Adidas at nearby 180LA. His resume read like something of a who’s who including time spent as a senior copywriter at Wieden+Kennedy, ACD at TBWA\Chiat\Day and CD at Deutsch working on the Taco Bell account.
An agency spokesperson credited DiMarcantonio with driving Zambezi’s pivot from a shop focused on sports to a more general marketing agency.
“The agency enjoyed a ton of success during Josh’s two years as ECD,” the spox wrote today. “In the end, there was a positive, mutual parting of ways.”
DiMarcantonio’s departure was also preceded by the arrival of Gavin Lester, a fellow Deutsch grad who became the indie agency’s first chief creative officer (and an equity partner to boot) back in February. During his tenure, the now-former ECD led creative efforts on such accounts as TaylorMade, The Honest Company and Zambezi’s biggest client, Autotrader.
Zambezi has been on something of a hiring/promotion spree in recent weeks and months, promoting COO Jean Freeman to chief executive officer and naming some new creatives as well.
Best of luck to Josh in the freelance market. We hear it works out well for some who would rather not stick with one agency, though it does turn Tax Day into an even bigger pain in the ass.