Zenith Media has named Ian Martins as its new EVP, managing director.

Martins is a longtime agency leader and executive in Canada, having held the COO position at Abacus from 2017 to 2020, as well as positions at PHD and Catalyst Canada. Most recently, he’s been working in San Francisco with startups in the tech industry as a consultant.

Martins will report directly to Alastair Taylor, CEO of Publicis Media. He replaces Nikki Stone, who moved onto a new position at the helm of Wavemaker Canada as CEO. Martins started in his new role this week on Monday.

Zenith is calling Martins’ appointment a “strategic leap for the company” as it moves into a “new era of growth and innovation.”

“The industry is witnessing a shift, and clients are looking for agencies that can provide more than just media services. They seek a strategic partner,” said Martins in a release.