Art director Howard Alstad has left BBDO, Toronto to join MacLaren:Lintas as vp executive art director, and as a creative team partner with Peter Lanyon, MacLaren’s recently-arrived president and creative director.

Alstad is Lanyon’s first big creative hire after joining MacLaren several months ago as part of the agency’s attempt at revitalization in the Toronto market.

Lanyon also recently hired broadcast production head Lesley Parrott from J. Walter Thompson as administrator of MacLaren’s creative department.