CHICAGO (December 9, 2019) – Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) agency Golin announced today the promotion of two long-standing executives. Carrie von der Sitt is elevated to global head of growth, and Ron D’Innocenzo takes on the expanded position of chief creative officer for North America. These newly created roles underscore the firm’s focus on accelerated growth across the network, and commitment to award-winning creative. Their roles start immediately, and they both report into Matt Neale, co-CEO.
von der Sitt and D’Innocenzo together will reinvigorate the agency’s approach to client work by harnessing the power of data-driven, earned-first creative. They also will champion Golin’s new data-driven customer journey-focused approach to planning and campaign development, which launched earlier this year.
As global head of growth, von der Sitt will lead the firm’s approach to business development across Golin’s 50+ global offices, creating an infrastructure that fosters best practice sharing and drives a culture of creating brave work. The 23-year Golin veteran will provide strategic counsel across large assignments, and take a hands-on leadership role for multi-market, blue-chip brand pitches. Additionally, von der Sitt will oversee the agency’s marketing function, including Golin’s brand strategy, advertising, external communications and thought leadership efforts.
“I’ve seen first-hand that when we harness our exceptional talent with the right blend of data, insights and bold, creative solutions, Golin is truly unbeatable,” said von der Sitt. “We’ve already seen tremendous success when we amortize our approach across North America, and I look forward to working with prospective clients across international markets.”
As chief creative officer of North America, D’Innocenzo will shape and grow world-class creative across the agency’s largest region to deliver ideas that earn attention and build businesses. He will oversee the firm’s conceptual creators, graphic designers and content production teams. Even more, he will take an active role in identifying, pursuing and leading new and organic business development opportunities, elevating the agency’s creative delivery for its clients and prospects.
Under D’Innocenzo’s creative leadership, Golin received top industry recognition back in June as the first PR agency credited with “idea creation” as a Gold Lion Cannes winner for its global work on McDonald’s Big Mac 50th Anniversary campaign, MacCoin.
“We believe in the power of earned-first ideas,” said D’Innocenzo. “Earning attention requires research, data, insight and the highest level of brave and culturally relevant creativity. The best ideas are the ones that move beyond buzz and generate meaningful business results. That’s our true barometer of success.”
Under the leadership of D’Innocenzo and von der Sitt, Golin has landed marquee assignments, including both new business and organic wins. This year, the agency added new brands to the agency’s roster like LEGO and Twitter, and have grown long-standing relationships like Discover and McDonald’s.
“Together, Carrie and Ron are a powerful combination,” said Neale. “They don’t settle. They know how to motivate high-performance teams and bring an unparalleled energy and passion to their work.”
von der Sitt and D’Innocenzo will also join forces with Paul Parton, newly appointed group strategy officer for Golin, The Brooklyn Brothers and Virgo Health brands. As an integrated strategic leadership group, they will reinvigorate the agency’s approach to business development and operationalize the process for realizing evidence-based, world-class ideas.
“Investing in these elevated roles creates greater impact for clients and prospects looking to achieve measurable business change through the power of earned-first thinking,” said Neale.
von der Sitt is a long-standing agency executive who joined Golin back in 1996. She’s held previous leadership positions such as EVP and Chicago consumer group director, head of US food and beverage and most recently, head of U.S. growth. D’Innocenzo has over 15 years of creative brand development experience and joined Golin back in 2013 as executive creative director of Golin’s headquarter Chicago office. Prior to Golin, he worked at a variety of ad agencies, including IPG sister agency, FCB. He attended Boston University and Miami Ad School.