TBWA\MAL Makes Three New Key Executive Hires

By Erik Oster 

TBWA\Media Arts Lab, TBWA’s global network dedicated to the agency’s Apple account, appointed Rebecca Stambanis as chief strategy officer and Jorge Calleja as executive creative director, Adweek reports. They take over for Marc-Antoine Jarry and Eric Grunbaum, who left the agency last month

Stambanis arrives at TBWA from W+K Portland, where she has served as global group strategy director on Nike for over five years, while also founding her own consultancy, Stambanis+Partners, last May. Prior to joining W+K, she served as deputy director of brand strategy for over two and a half years at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, working with clients including Haagen-Dazs, Comcast, Nintendo, Dreyer’s and The Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Before making the jump stateside, Stambanis spent three years at The Campaign Palace Melbourne as head of strategic planning, working with brands such as Target, Yoplait, Origin Energy and Quit Victoria. That followed over three and a half years with Clemenger BBDO as planning director, working with clients including adidas, AXA Australia, YellowPages, Mars and Mercedes Benz.

Calleja joins TBWA from The Martin Agency, where he has served as executive creative director for nearly four years and led the agency’s Tic Tac, Stoli and Mondelez accounts. Before The Martin Agency, he spent almost two years at Sid Lee. Prior to that he spent nearly three and a half years as a creative director with W+K focusing on the agency’s Coca-Cola account and two years at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, where he served as a senior art director on Got Milk?. Over the course of his career he has worked with various brands including Chips Ahoy, Stolichnaya, Lego, Honda and Tetley, in addition to those mentioned. 

Advertisement

“We are entering an exciting time at Media Arts Lab. Over the last two years we have worked on bringing together the best and brightest in the industry for our client,” said TBWA\MAL president Erica Hoholick. “We are marrying the knowledge and heritage from working on Apple for nearly 30 years with new perspectives and incredible talent. The body of work Rebecca has led strategically along with her experience, insight and global point of view make her a great fit for this role, and Jorge brings innovative, fresh thinking that we’re eager to build on as a network.”

Additionally, TBWA\MAL appointed Kaitlyn Wilkins as executive director of integration. She arrives from London’s Burberry, where she oversaw strategy and integration for all brand and product marketing campaigns and, previously, social media.

Advertisement