Thinkingbox promotes Christine Clark to managing partner

Thinkingbox has added a new partner, promoting Christine Clark.

The agency’s new managing partner will join current partners James O’Brien, Michael Kern and Paul Solomon, as well as CEO and founder Amir Sahba to further Thinkingbox’s growth in the North American market.

Clark has been with Thinkingbox for six years, joining as a digital producer and working up the ranks to managing director in 2018. During that time, the Toronto office has grown from two employees to over 30; as partner, she will continue to lead the Toronto office, with an added focus on the overall goals of the business.

Across its offices, Thinkingbox has grown to over 125 employees over the last two years, helped by a swath of acquisitions that have also expanded its service offering.

Huge and George Brown aim to give underrepresented groups an entry to design

The Canadian outpost of global digital and design agency Huge has established a new scholarship with the George Brown College Foundation called The Experience Exchange, aimed at addressing systemic issues that prevent diverse talent from finding a place in the design industry.

Open to students and scholars at George Brown College’s Centre for Arts, Design & Information Technology, the scholarship will provide financial assistance to four students – two per semester – in the amount of $2,500 each. Huge has committed to providing $30,000 to fund the scholarship over the next three years. Recipients will also receive mentorship from talent at Huge, access to career development sessions and networking opportunities.

Recipients of the scholarship will exhibit a “strong interest and commitment to design,” shown through extracurricular activities, volunteer work and involvement in the classroom. They will also be from groups that have historically been underrepresented in the design industry, with the aim being to remove financial barriers to improve their chances of success.

Competition Bureau opens RFI in Rogers-Shaw acquisition

In a rare appeal for public feedback, the Competition Bureau has issued a request for information to further its investigation into the proposed acquisition of Shaw by Rogers.

The Bureau is seeking submissions from the Canadian public and market participants into their current experiences with wireless service, internet service for small businesses and fibre servcies. Submissions are open until Oct. 29.

First announced in March, the proposed acquisition was anticipated to draw intense regulatory scrutiny for how it may impact the Canadian wireless market, which is already seen by many Canadians as being too expensive and controlled by too few companies. Last month, the Bureau announced it had acquired court orders required to advance its investigation and could compel companies like Bell, Telus and Videotron to produce relevant records.

While much of the scrutiny is being placed on the wireless market, the Bureau’s RFI also covers the broadcasting space, and is looking at the supply of programming to television providers and the provision of relay distribution services to BDUs.

Last week, Corus – which was spun off from Shaw in 1999 – said in a letter to the CRTC that if the merger were to go through, the $12 million Shaw has paid to fulfill its obligation to support Canadian content and news would go to Rogers’ Citytv, instead of its own Global network. The company says that would threaten local news and be especially damaging in communities where Global is a primary outlet.