Wunderman Thompson Canada has found new leadership for its Canadian agency team from within its own international network, appointing Vaishali Sarkar – CEO of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R Indonesia – into the role.

Sarkar will transfer from her current position into the Canadian post, where she will oversee operations at the WPP agency’s local offices, including those in Toronto and Montreal. She is mandated to “make Wunderman Thompson a force to be reckoned with in Canada,” she tells strategy, both by establishing “a unique proposition for ourselves in the market as an integrated, full-service business partner” and by finding ways to “attract and retain the best talent – the more diverse the better.”

“I want to hit the ground running and garner the collective power of our people to deliver business results for the agency and for our clients. I am new to Canada and Canada is new to me. That in itself is invigorating because it’s brimming with possibilities,” she says. “There are many strong independent agencies in Canada that we compete with – the Canadian ad community is strong and vibrant. While we are a global network, no doubt, we are also building a name for Wunderman Thompson Canada locally.”

“Wunderman Thompson Canada has an amazing roster of clients and an extremely talented team of leaders and staff,” Sarkar adds. “Ari Elkouby, our highly talented chief creative officer, has led his teams to create really meaningful work that impacts the lives of everyday people. It’s the perfect setting to challenge ourselves to raise the bar for even bigger ideas and continued data-led creativity in technology that facilitates and fascinates.”

Cass Zawadowski, who had led the agency’s creative department alongside Elkouby as co-CCOs since 2021, left the agency in March to go in-house at Manulife as head of global creative excellence.

Sarkar is succeeding Jeff Dack, who was appointed CEO of Wunderman Thompson Canada in Sept. 2019 and held that post until November of last year. Dack was the first leader for the agency following its formation with the merger of J. Walter Thompson, Wunderman and Mirium. Sarkar brings more than 30 years of industry experience to the role, primarily at WPP agencies including not only Wunderman Thompson Indonesia, but also Ogilvy at its Bangalore, New Delhi and Indonesia offices. Outside of WPP, she served as CEO of BBDO Indonesia for a year.

Sarkar will report to Audrey Melofchik, Wunderman Thompson North America’s CEO, who says she is “a proven leader in our network who has been at home at WPP agencies for the majority of her career and is deeply familiar with many of the same brands we share as clients. She’s known to be an open leader with a heart for her team and a mind for setting up agencies and clients for success.”

“Having lived and worked in Asia all my life, the opportunity to live, breathe and experience a new culture, a new portfolio of clients, and have a chance to break new ground, with all I have learned in Asia, is incredibly exciting,” Sarkar says.