Deutsch has hired longtime Huge veteran Todd Lefelt as evp, head of UX in its L.A. headquarters.
The move comes approximately six months after Huge L.A., which Lefelt helped build, was absorbed by fellow IPG network Elephant amid a round of layoffs. Prior to that shift, he helped lead work for clients such as Apple, Nike, Hulu and Samsung.
Lefelt now reports to North American CCO Pete Favat.
“Putting the users at the center of our experiences: communications, branded utilities, VR or the actual product, is core to what we do,” said Favat.
Deutsch, which is looking to strengthen its design division, has hired multiple new UX staffers in recent weeks, including Angie Kang of sock-maker Pair of Thieves.
Lefelt worked in Huge’s Brooklyn headquarters for 4 years before moving to L.A. in 2010 to help establish the West Coast operation. He previously held positions at Time, Inc. and The University of Arizona and also regularly speaks at design-friendly conferences.
“Our team is going to go bigger and create truly connected, holistic experiences that go far beyond websites, ads and TV spots,” he said in hinting at the agency’s future plans. “The opportunity to disrupt paradigms, reinvent markets and lead the next generation’s digital businesses and experiences has never been greater.”
In other Huge-related news, a string of executives has departed in the weeks since former CEO Aaron Shapiro was replaced by Michael Koziol. According to our sources, some left on their own and some were pushed out.