Publicis-owned CRM agency Hawkeye Canada has named a new creative leader with the promotion of Raymond Smith to creative director.

Smith, who joined the agency as an ACD in 2017, brings more than 20 years of advertising experience into the role, including at Bensimon Byrne and FCB Direct. Prior to joining Hawkeye, he had been working as a CD for the Globe and Mail. In this new role, he will be working with Scott Pinkney, the company’s SVP and ECD, to further manage and develop the creative team and its output.

Smith is the latest promotion for the CRM agency, which late last year named three new ACDs amid a wave of organic growth.

“I’ve worked with Ray for over 20 years at three different agencies and he has more than proven his creative and strategic prowess, new business savvy and drive to deliver great work,” says Pinkney. “The timing of this promotion is perfect as we continue to grow and expand our practice in Canada and the U.S.”

With Hawkeye, Smith has overseen several accounts, including FCA, DQ, Citi, Elanco, MEDJCT, Wondery and Bieresdorf. He also played a key role in the development of “This is the Job,” a D&I-oriented project designed to help racially marginalized high school students gain entry into advertising and marketing. Alongside that effort, Smith showed a penchant for mentorship as an author of a LinkedIn series, “Welcome to Your First Job in Advertising,” that aims to assist young professionals who are navigating their first months in the industry.

Smith says he has “learned so much” from his colleagues and clients at Hawkeye, and is “eager to continue working with our talented team to push boundaries, spark new ideas and deliver game-changing solutions.”