From left to right: SVP of data and insights Jessica Balter; SVP of Publicis Hawkeye Catherine Parsons and SVP, brand director for Fiat-Chrysler Bobby Malhotra.  

Publicis Toronto has promoted three of its senior leaders to help tap three key growth areas.

Jessica Balter has been promoted to SVP of data and insights; Bobby Malhotra to SVP, brand director on the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) account; and Catherine Parsons to SVP, managing director of Publicis Hawkeye, its CRM agency.

Brett McIntosh, president of Publicis Toronto, tells strategy that CRM, data and insights and the FCA business have each seen “significant growth” for the agency, with the three leaders playing key roles in driving that success.  

“Beyond proving their capabilities in particular disciplines and leading our clients and teams effectively, they have become important leaders within the agency culturally, owning a range of programs and activities,” McIntosh said in a release.

Last summer, Publicis reported a 13% decrease in organic growth, attributable to the pandemic. Publicis Worldwide also reported that the agency won the domestic Heineken account, whose portfolio in Canada includes Strongbow, Birra Moretti, Sol, Dos Equis, Tecate, Newcastle and Murphy’s. The agency also leads U.S.-based assignments out of Toronto for Walmart and Citi, as well as global work for Four Seasons and all of FCA’s Canadian requirements.

Balter previously held Publicis’ VP, client solutions role for approximately four years, and recently built a leading practice area in North America using a range of search and proprietary data tools. She is also leading two of its agency learning and training platforms, LionShare and PubPanels.

Malhotra is a former VP, brand director and is leading the agency’s largest client in Canada, for which it manages dealer and brand advertising, as well its CRM and web platform requirements. He’s managing teams across four Canadian offices for the account, which the agency won in December of 2018.

Parsons was VP, CRM for nearly five years, and sits on the Publicis Groupe North America CRM strategic leadership committee.

Last week, Publicis’ parent company Publicis Groupe denied rumours that it was holding merger talks after it was reported in Campaign that it had met with private equity investors.