Critical Mass has hired John Cavacas as VP of technology to help provide leadership for the experience design agency.

Based in Toronto and reporting to general manager and ECD Jon Toews, Cavacas’ responsibilities will span all clients and account teams, with a special focus on business development.

Cavacas had been at Blast Radius’ office in Amsterdam since 2010, most recently as their head of technology. Before making the move overseas, Cavacas worked in Toronto for development firms Idea Couture and Softchoice and had a four-year stint as a senior technical architect at Blast Radius’ Toronto office.

Scott Ross, who had previously been VP of technology in Toronto and was promoted to SVP and executive technology director in 2011, took a role as chief technology officer at DigitasLBi in London last summer, but Toews said in an email that Cavacas’ hiring is not meant to be a replacement for any departures. The agency has a VP of technology based in its Chicago office, and Toews said Cavacas’ role is meant to be complementary to his Chicago counterpart.

“We have very good tech directors here in the office that have been running everything. This hire is more of a leadership role across the company, but stationed here in Toronto.”

Critical Mass operates 10 offices globally, including another Canadian office in Calgary.