Touché adds to Toronto office

Touché has announced a number of new hires and promotions on its Toronto team. Aleiza Alerta (a former account director with MEC) has joined as a new digital strategy director, handling marketing science and strategy for clients in Toronto. Brian Obie has also joined the agency’s Toronto outpost as a digital strategy supervisor following two years at Mindshare. Amanda Soares has joined from Maxus Canada and will take the position of media strategy supervisor. Soares will work on the agency’s Volkswagen, Canadian Tire and Under Armour accounts.

Rory McEntee has been promoted from an analyst to a senior analyst after just over a year on the agency’s marketing science team. Vito Andrisani has also been promoted from associate search director to search director at fellow Omnicom agency Resolution Media.

KBS Canada adds director of strategy

Adam Brain has become KBS Canada’s first director of strategy. He previously held that position at Sandbox, leading digital strategy for the creative agency. He’s also served in digital strategy roles at Taxi and Taxi 2. Among KBS’ other major hires this year have been Greg Shortall, who joined the agency as a creative director of January. Shortall had previously held associate creative director roles with Taxi, Cossette and OgilvyOne before joining KBS. He has worked on digital, mass and CRM programs for clients including Unilever, P&G, Scotiabank, Nike, General Mills, Telus, Coca-Cola and American Express.

Publicis Groupe adds to the C-suite

Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun has announced the creation of the global agency group’s chief talent officer (CTO), with Emmanuel André joining the team effective Sept. 18. André will be in charge of talent recruitment and management and work closely with the solutions CEOs and respective CTOs of the group’s agencies (which include Starcom and Spark Foundry). He will also be in charge of learning, development programs and group culture. He will be based from Publicis’ New York office. André is currently international president of TBWA Worldwide.

Pictured: Aleiza Alerta, Brian Obie