Taxi promotes duo to general manager roles

Montreal- and New York-based agency Taxi has introduced two new general managers, elevating Maxime Mercier and Louthiern Bonsart to the roles.

Mercier and Bonsart have worked at Taxi for more than two and three years, respectively, as group account directors. Mercier also worked as group director of client engagement before this latest promotion. 

Prior to joining Taxi, Mercier worked for nearly five years at Sid Lee, ending her stint there in the national accounts supervisor role. She also previously worked at CRI Agence for four years. Bonsart joined Taxi from Vidéotron Affaires, where he worked as a brand and CRM consultant. He also worked at Sid Lee for mor ethan three years in account manager and account executive roles. His previous job experience has also included stints at Bleublancrouge, LG2, Bell and Groupe AIDA.

“We often see duos in agencies, but very few in decision-making positions. Yet, it is in this diversity of viewpoints that our best, most informed, most empathetic, and boldest decisions are born,” Mercier and Bonsart said in a joint statement posted to LinkedIn, last week. “So we’re embracing the TAXI concept today by introducing ourselves to the industry as a duo of general manager and general manager.”

Earlier this year, VML merged Taxi with Wunderman Thompson Canada to create VML Canada. While a changeover to VML Canada was introduced immediately in Toronto and Vancouver, the Taxi brand still continues its agency operations in Montreal and New York.

Laura Ballance Media Group names new president

PR agency Laura Ballance Media Group has appointed a new president, replacing the company’s founder.

Betsy Cooper, a longtime veteran of the industry, stepped into the president role last week, replacing Laura Ballance, who will remaining with the agency as a senior consultant.

Cooper has more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, with a track record that includes founding the Vancouver-based integrated marketing agency The Neighbourhood Agency in 2019. Cooper has also held senior roles working both with agencies and clients in Vancouver and Toronto. Her portfolio of work with clients has included Sleeman Breweries, Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, Orangetheory Fitness, as well as other national and local organizations.

Ballance’s career, meanwhile, has included work on the International Press Centre at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, the United Nations World Urban Forum, the PNE Fair, the Vancouver International Auto Show and the Vancouver International Boat Show. Her consultant work with the agency going forward will exclusively focus on reduced client workload.

Cooper will retain her role as president of The Neighbourhood Agency, with both this agency and Laura Ballance Media Group operating under the Mediology umbrella of companies.

“During discussions over several weeks, it became abundantly clear that Laura and I share a similar philosophy that is centered on personalized service to our clients,” Cooper says. “As this exciting new chapter begins, I look forward to building on the incredible foundation that Laura has established.”