Observed Signal · May 28, 2026 · Hiring · Source: Adweek · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Mariana O'Kelly Becomes CCO at DonerColle Partners
Mariana O’Kelly, previously executive creative director at Leo Burnett, has been appointed as the first chief creative officer of DonerColle Partners, the newly formed partnership between Doner and Colle McVoy under the Stagwell umbrella. O’Kelly will set the creative vision for the combined entity and will work alongside CEO Jessica Henrichs. The hire follows DonerColle Partners’ recent account win for Hershey’s salty snacks portfolio, which leadership cited as validation of the new structure. The appointment is positioned to unite creative leadership across the two agencies while they retain separate teams and clients.
Personnel appointment at a combined agency-level is relevant to agency/creative community but has limited immediate impact on broader AdTech/MarTech infrastructure, product, or market dynamics.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Mariana O’Kelly was tapped as the first chief creative officer of DonerColle Partners.
- O’Kelly previously served as executive creative director at Leo Burnett.
- Doner and Colle McVoy formed DonerColle Partners in January as a strategic partnership under Stagwell.
- O’Kelly will work alongside Jessica Henrichs, CEO of DonerColle Partners.
- DonerColle Partners’ first account win was Hershey’s salty snacks portfolio.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
BBDO Germany Appoints New CCO
BBDO Germany has appointed Ina Behrendt as its new Chief Creative Officer, effective 1 September 2026, as the agency group seeks a stable, long-term solution for its creative leadership. Behrendt has not worked inside an agency in recent years but is described as having strong knowledge of the talent market. The report frames the move amid wider restructuring debates, criticizing global network headquarters in New York, London and Paris for often making key decisions without sufficient local input and arguing that local leadership should be more involved. The piece was written by Mehrdad Amirkhizi and published by HORIZONT in late August 2026 (24–25 August).
Lerma Appoints First Chief Strategy Officer, Strengthens Leadership
Dallas-based agency Lerma has appointed Omar Quiñones as its first chief strategy officer, marking the culmination of a recent leadership hiring phase that shifts the company away from a flat structure toward a formalized C-suite. Quiñones joins from Messianu/Edelman/Lerma (MEL) and has prior senior strategy experience at Anomaly, CP+B and YETI. Lerma recently also installed Paco Conde as its inaugural chief creative officer (in October) and Josh Archer as chief data and innovation officer (the month before Quiñones’ hire). The hires signal Lerma’s intent to expand strategic capabilities and institutionalize executive roles.
Stagwell Hires Nicole Souza as North America Growth Chief
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