Full Punch’s latest hires include (left to right): Ruth Hurley, brand manager; Rosie Le Friec, integrated producer; Trista Capitano, ACD; and Ben Turner, group brand director.

Vancouver- and Edmonton-based creative agency Full Punch has made a number of additions to its team and deepen its creative bench strength.

Among the hires are Ben Turner and Ruth Hurley, who join the agency’s brand management unit.

Turner comes to Full Punch with more than a decade of industry experience on both agency and client-side, most recently at Freehouse Collective – formerly The Donnelly Group. He has previously worked with Lululemon and Earl’s Kitchen, as well as at Taxi and Red Urban. At Full Punch, he joins as group brand director and will be tasked with helping it “fully capitalize on our growing business with Northland Properties,” says Mike Leslie, founding partner and president.

Hurley, meanwhile, joins the agency as a brand manager with four years of client-side experience working on the marketing team for Ireland’s Glenilen Farm yogurt brand, most recently as its assistant brand manager. At Full Punch, her “keen understanding of brand marketing” will be paired with Turner’s expertise “to better service all our clients and ensure we continue to create work that makes an impact,” says Leslie.

The agency has also added Rosie Le Friec, previously at Specsavers, as its integrated producer, and promoted Trista Capitano to associate creative director following more than a year of tenure with the company in the role of senior designer and art director. The additions and promotion are in response to an expanding remit with Northland, as well as new business wins with Coast Spas, Metropolitan Flooring and Canfor.

Lactalis names Andrew Davis as VP of marketing for foodservice, ingredients and export

Canadian dairy brand Lactalis has appointed Andrew Davis to lead the marketing strategy and team for its foodservice, ingredients and exports division.

Davis joins the company with more than 20 years of CPG experience, most recently as VP of marketing for General Mills Canada. He replaces Steve Hutchinson, who is retiring on July 31.

“Lactalis Canada’s foodservice and ingredients and export division plays an important role in delivering a wide range of dairy solutions to the foodservice and B2B industry,” says Iven Zanardo, general manager of the division at Lactalis. “I am confident with Andrew’s experience and leadership, we will continue to expand and strengthen our footprint within this important sector.”

“I am thrilled to join Lactalis Canada’s award-winning foodservice team and be a part of this exciting side of the business which is, now more than ever, continually transforming, innovating and growing to meet consumer and customer needs,” adds Davis.

Walmart Canada makes more changes in the c-suite

Major retailer Walmart has announced four new additions to its senior executive ranks.

Among the new additions are Joe Shrauder, who will serve as VP of operations and chief of staff to the CEO. In that role, he will assume responsibility for the retailer’s central operations and future store operating teams, working directly alongside Gonzalo Gebara, who was named president and CEO late last year.

Shrauder is relocating north of the border from Bentonville, Arkansas, where he held the role of VP of international operations and realty for Walmart International. He has spent his entire career with the retailer, starting with an in-store position more than 20 years ago.

Also joining the retailer’s executive team are Michon Williams as chief technology officer, John Bayliss as chief administration officer, and Mohammed Abdool-Samad as chief financial officer.

“We are a people-led, tech-powered business and these updates to our executive team help position us to improve how customers are able to shop with us,” says Gebara. “Our best-in-class Canadian leadership team is pushing our business forward on the path to modernize retail.”