Toronto independent agency King Ursa is aiming to maintain its momentum from a strong 2021 with the appointment of a new president.

Cheryl Gosling, who joined the agency in 2020 as VP and managing director, has been tapped for the new role. Gosling has played a key role in the agency’s growth since her arrival, helping it score a series of new business wins, including Qtrade, Jobber, Van Der Hout Jewelry and The Beer Store. She has also played a major role in the agency’s recruitment efforts during its transition to a fully-integrated service model; founded as advertising studio East Project, the agency rebranded to King Ursa in 2018 to signal its move to a more holistic offering.

With her promotion, Gosling will take on day-to-day management of the agency while founder Paulo Salomao will step back into a new role focused on business strategy and innovation. “My focus as president will continue to be on culture, people and their development, client satisfaction and new growth,” Gosling tells strategy.

Salomao and Gosling will work together as part of a leadership team that also includes Grant Cleland and Sean Atkinson, who joined the agency as ECDs last September; Dylan Dempsey, who joined as VP of technology in October; and Joanna McFarlane, who was promoted into a new role as associate partner and EVP of media and analytics this month.

“They’re the backbone of the agency, and I’m very confident with the leadership we’ve brought on,” says Gosling. All of the shifts at the agency are part of what Gosling calls an ambitious strategy to expand King Ursa’s service offering. “Whether a client comes to King Ursa for brand work or media planning, our team considers the full journey within our entire agency’s capability, which is blossoming into every facet of the business,” she says.