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Cossette promotes Anthony Atkinson as Craig McIntosh and Jaimes Zentil prepare to join BHLA

By Justin Crann
March 10, 2022

From left to right: Anthony Atkinson, Craig McIntosh and Jaimes Zentil.

Cossette has promoted Anthony Atkinson to serve as ECD in its Toronto office, replacing departing creative leaders Craig McIntosh and Jaimes Zentil, who are joining former colleagues Carlos Moreno and Jason Chaney at Broken Heart Love Affair.

Beverley Hammond, chief business officer at Broken Heart Love Affair, confirmed to strategy that the duo will join the agency shortly after as CCOs.

McIntosh and Zentil were named as co-ECDs at Cossette in 2019 after first joining from Anomaly in 2015. “This was a very difficult decision to make for both of us and we’re really proud of the work we’ve created at Cossette. One of our key focuses over our 7 years with the agency was to assemble a world-class creative department. Although we’re sad to say goodbye to this incredible team, we know that they will be in really good hands with Anthony at the helm,” they said in a release.

Atkinson takes over duties from McIntosh and Zentil after their last day on March 18. Atkinson has worked as a creative director for the agency for the past three years and has nearly two decades of experience, including in senior creative roles at Leo Burnett in Toronto and Wieden + Kennedy in the U.K. In the CD role, he has led work on accounts including Walmart, General Mills and SickKids.

In his new role, Atkinson will be charged with overseeing the agency’s creative team in Toronto, as well as the work produced for all of its Toronto-based accounts. “He’s very dedicated to helping our people grow – which is something we deeply value at Cossette,” says Kathy McGuire, SVP and general manager. “He has the right balance between passion for producing outstanding work and the leadership and experience needed to run our creative team.”

Zentil and McIntosh’s departure is not the only recent senior leadership change at Cossette’s Toronto office. Last month, the duo had been tasked with overseeing the agency’s creative in English markets after Peter Ignazi stepped down from his position as global CCO.