Samantha Kelley has been promoted to CEO, alongside Charles-Étienne Morier who takes on a newly created COO role, for both Touché! Canada and Omnicom Media Group Montreal.

“With more than a decade as a key leader of the team that has made Touché! one of Canada’s fastest-growing media agencies, including becoming number one in creativity, Samantha has driven success for a broad range of clients,” says Cam Reston, CEO of OMG Canada.

As CEO (reporting to Reston), Kelley “will drive the implementation of the agencies’ business strategy, cultivate and nurture robust and genuine client relationships, and foster an inspiring and creative work environment for all employees, all with the aim of securing the company’s long-term success, both for the Toronto and Montreal offices,” Reston says.

Morier (reporting to Kelley) will oversee operational strategy, advocate for internal best practices among his teams, and maintain the implementation of OMG tools, technologies, and new services.

A little more than a year ago, Kelley was promoted to president of Touché! Canada, as was Morier for the OMG Montreal branch. Both worked closely with former CEO Karine Courtemanche, before she moved on from the Omnicom role in June. Alain Desormiers had been serving as interim CEO, but now that the position has been filled, he will continue on as a strategic advisor.

Kelley joined Touché! in 2007 as media strategist and steadily moved to supervisor and director positions. She began her work on the Loblaws Canada account and has made retail her speciality, spending the next fifteen years on accounts such as Sport Chek, Mark’s, Canadian Tire, and Canada Post. She was named managing director in Toronto in 2021.

Morier also joined Touché! in 2007 where he contributed to creating the agency’s digital offering and set up the SEM team. He held various digital media strategist, supervisor, and director roles until 2018, when he was appointed SVP of operations for OMG Montreal.

“These moves are a testament to the strength and depth of talent within our organization,” says Ralph Pardo, CEO of Omnicom Media Group North America. “Now that Samantha and Charles-Étienne are in their new roles, we look forward to writing the next great chapter in the Touché! and OMG Montreal story and working with our clients to find success within a modern media and marketing environment.”

With files from Patti Summerfield