Toronto agency Red Lion has hired Kira Montgomery as director of strategy and insight.

She arrives to the agency – part of Publicis Group’s network – having spent three years as a strategy director at Carat after two years at MacLaren McCann.

President and chief creative officer Matthew Litzinger says that strategy forms the foundation of the agency’s approach to delivering business results over just advertising.

“It’s one thing for an agency to say they’re media agnostic and think solutions first,” Litzinger says. “But to us, the best way to prove that is at the start, in the way the briefs are written, in the insights that are uncovered. We wanted someone with a great strategic resume and acumen who’s worked at both media and creative agencies.

“Kira has an innate understanding of how each media channel, each form of content gets received. She understands human beings’ motivating factors.”

Montgomery will report directly to Litzinger, who says there are currently no further plans for new hires to the agency’s senior leadership.

Montgomery’s role at Red Lion had previously been held by John Schofield, managing director of strategy.