BBH has hired long-time staffer Agathe Guerrier to lead strategy in its Los Angeles office. She replaces former head of strategy and innovation Fran Hazeldine, who left to join Google at the beginning of the year.
Guerrier’s hire completes the L.A. management team. Moving forward, she will work alongside ECD Zach Hilder (formerly of R/GA’s Hustle) and managing director/BBH Asia veteran Frances Great to run the West Coast office.
French native Guerrier spent 5 and a half years at BBH’s London-based strategy department and its BBH Labs robotics division before leaving at the end of last year to join Tiny Warrior, a strategic consultancy advising agencies and brands in London, Paris and L.A. Previous agency experience includes roles with Mother and France’s BETC.
“BBH is renowned for its leadership structure — with strategy, creative and account management working side by side,” said Great in a statement. “With the appointment of Agathe to our senior management team, we’re excited to apply the proven success of BBH’s global approach to the world of entertainment in LA. Her international experience, including working in multiple BBH offices and for a wide variety of brands, will be a tremendous asset to all of our clients.”
Those clients currently include Google, Google Play, E!, and Esquire; it also recently worked on Ari by Ariana Grande, which is the pop star’s debut fragrance line.
“I couldn’t dream of better partners in crime than Frances and Zach for this new adventure,” said Guerrier. “BBH LA blends the best of BBH’s offices with the speed, generosity and youth of a start-up — like a sunnier version of home. I’m excited about 2017, and my focus will be on building a strategic blueprint for branded entertainment.”
As noted in the quote above, BBH — like R/GA and many other L.A. shops — has begun producing more in the way of branded content as opposed to the old traditional ad spots. More work to come.