Amalgamated Bolsters Senior Ranks

NEW YORK Amalgamated here has hired Fiona McBride as president and Scott Karambis as director of planning. Both have also been named partners of the independent five-year-old agency, joining co-founders Charles Rosen, Jason Gaboriau and Doug Cameron.

Rosen said the hires were made to help the shop maintain momentum.

McBride had been at BBDO for nearly 15 years, serving in both the New York and Toronto offices of the Omnicom Group agency, working on fast-food and consumer packaged-goods clients. Her resume also includes stints at Ogilvy & Mather, Cossette and MacLaren. Her client experience includes Frito-Lay, KFC, FedEx and Coca-Cola, among others.

Amalgamated’s previous president, Mike Kelly, departed more than a year ago. He now serves as a managing partner at Brand Value Advisors in New York.

Filling a new post at the shop is Karambis, who spent the past four years at Interpublic Group’s Mullen in Wenham, Mass., where he oversaw brand planning for accounts such as Panera Bread, Mass Mutual and Orbitz.

Amalgamated’s clients include Ben & Jerry’s, Coca-Cola, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Discovery’s Planet Green Network and Qdoba.