R/GA has found a new partner-in-crime for executive creative director Rob Smiley (you know, this guy) in its San Francisco office, as “the agency for the digital age” has tapped Frog Design alum Michael Jefferson to serve as co-ECD and c0-lead creative efforts in its Bay Area branch. Jefferson (pictured) has spent the last six years as creative director at the global Frog Design, working with a client roster that included Microsoft, GE, Visa and AT&T. Prior to Frog, the new R/GA ECD spent time working as an an interaction designer/producer at the likes of Verizon and SF shop Eleven. He replaces Mark Shewmaker, who left R/GA back in July.
Along with Jefferson’s hire, R/GA SF, currently 65-strong in terms of staff, has tapped Ari Nave and Matt Nelson to serve as group planning director and director, mobile & social platforms, respectively. Nave most recently served as SVP, group planning director at Deutsch and has worked on the planning side at other agencies such as McGarryBowen, O&M and Grey San Francisco during his career. Nelson, meanwhile, joins R/GA SF from Tribal DDB SF, where he worked as director, digital and social strategy.