Kirshenbaum Hires Chief Marketing Officer

Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners has hired Kerry Fitzmaurice as its chief marketing officer, which is a new role at the agency.

Fitzmaurice joins the MDC Partners agency from independent Mother New York, where she spent a year as director of new business and communications. Prior to Mother, Fitzmaurice was director of earned media at MDC sibling 72andsunny. She held that role for more than two years after the agency in 2010 acquired the public relations practice Fitzmaurice founded.

"The fact that she created her own business gives her the mentality that tends to really succeed at kbs+p," said Lori Senecal, the agency's chairman and CEO. "Also her experience in the PR side of things make her very well suited to this strategic marketing role."

Fitzmaurice starts Dec. 2. Her job will focus on marketing the kbs+p brand as the agency seeks to open new offices in Europe and Asia in 2014. New business development at kbs+p is overseen by its chief growth officer, Christine Prins. She has held the post some two years of her five working at the agency.

Kbs+p executive Bill Grogan previously held the title of global chief marketing officer, which Senecal said did not accurately reflect his client services role on key accounts like BMW. Grogan will become co-president of account leadership, a new title shared with Steve McCall, who is currently director of client services.

Kbs+p's current footprint includes about 450 staffers in New York, and another 120 in its Montreal and Toronto offices. The agency has experienced significant business growth this year, said president and chief creative officer Ed Brojerdi, thanks both to organic growth from existing clients and new business wins. This year it added lead creative assignments on Boar's Head, Simmons, and Nike SB. It expanded its lead role on financial services company Vanguard and picked up work on personal care producer Prestige Brands. It also picked up the lead role planning and buying digital media for Victoria's Secret's Pink brand. In addition to BMW and Vanguard, its prior clients include discount retailer The TJX Companies (formerly T.J. Maxx).

Fitzmaurice will be part of the agency's leadership team, said Senecal. That also includes Grogan, McCall, Prins, and Barry Lowenthal, president of kbs+p media arm The Media Kitchen, all of whom report to Senecal and Brojerdi.