Brandish launches an investment arm
Strategic consultancy Brandish is joining the ranks of agencies that have invested into clients, creating Brandish Ventures as a separate entity from the Winnipeg agency’s main offering.
Led by managing partners Morley MacDougall and Lee Waltham, Brandish Ventures will offer four types of investments into upstart companies: capital, service-based, incubation and “composite,” which offers a combination of capital and services. The agency has invested $1.5 million in Ventures thus far through a combination of capital and services.
Thus far, it has launched sales and lead generation platform Tilt (which is currently seeking Series A funding). It also invested in Robertson Online, a digital learning platform from Brandish client Robertson College, and LaFortune, a lawn, deck and home maintenance company.
BEworks hires VP of growth
BEworks, launched in 2010 to apply behavioural economics to its consulting work with brands across industries, hired Sean Donnelley as its VP of growth.
Donnelley will be responsible for developing new business and further expanding BEworks’ client base. His role will also include scaling BEworks’ offerings through external partnerships, enhancing internal structures and exploring new business opportunities.
Donnelley was most recently VP of marketing at Toronto fintech company QuantGate, but brings a wealth of experience from both the client and agency sides of the industry, including managing director positions at Toronto’s Behaviour, Ogilvy South Africa and Carat Johannesburg.
Republik to help University of Montreal support students’ mental health
The University of Montreal’s federation of student associations and its student services have picked Republik to lead an upcoming campaign focused on student mental health.
The agency has been tasked with handling all elements of the creative campaign, which will live across the school’s digital and social platforms, as well as a significant presence on-campus. The two student groups are looking to educate students on factors that can impact their mental health and how to address them, something that has been top of mind for many institutions over the last year.
The campaign is expected to launch in time for the upcoming academic year in the fall.
