Martin Gauthier named Sid Lee’s first CEO in Canada

Martin Gauthier has been appointed Sid Lee’s CEO in Canada, helping the agency’s offices work together as they pursue a renewed focus on digital.

The new role for the agency was created to help oversee Sid Lee’s offices in both Toronto and Montreal. Over the last decade, the two offices have worked separately but as close collaborators, when needed – now, the 500 employees are coming together to form a single Canadian entity under Gauthier’s leadership.

It’s not about working more closely together in proximity, but about working as one, Gauthier says.

“We want to move on with one integrated studio,” he says, which also covers film and audio production, digital and CRM. The company will focus on growth with a unified business strategy to grab pan-Canadian and international brands with more agility and focus. “Our ambition is the following: we are working hard to build a globally-recognized Canadian entity with a reputation for re-inventing branded consumer experiences at scale and speed through creativity and innovation.”

Gauthier also plans to increase the agency’s focus on digital, which has been its largest growth driver.

“The work we’re doing for Samsung, for instance, is producing great results,” Gauthier tells strategy. “Don’t be surprised to see acquisitions in this direction to build a larger critical mass in digital.”

Previously president of the agency, Gauthier has helped brands such as Sobeys, Lowe’s, SAQ and Loto-Québec over the last 10 years with the agency. and has collaborated on Samsung, Adidas, The North Face and Cirque du Soleil campaigns.

Gauthier will be leading the new pan-Canadian unit along with the newly formed leadership team composed the following team members in Toronto: Amanda Loughran (head of production and project management), Catherine Moustou (EVP, head of strategy, Toronto), Didier Ayotte (finance director), Geneviève Boulanger (managing director, Rogers), Jeffrey Da Silva (ECD), Lauren Libetti (director, business operations), Stella Raposo (EVP, talent), Zemina Moosa (EVP, head of account services).

Sid Lee had added nearly 150 new hires in the past 12 months, as well as several new clients, such as Rogers, Brown-Forman, Unity Technology and OLG. These new alliances are in addition to existing clients like Netflix Canada, Maple Leaf Foods, H&R Block, IGA, Cheekbone Beauty, Belairdirect, Air Transat and Lowe’s.