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Independent creative agency Venables Bell + Partners has announced that Katie Smith has joined the company and its leadership team as New Business Director. Smith’s hire comes at a time of exciting momentum for VB+P as the agency has recently earned several new assignments, including being named Agency of Record by Scout Motors. Smith will collaborate closely with Associate Partner, Managing Director Brittni Hutchins in her new role to fuel new business development and agency growth.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Katie to our team. She has fantastic experience, an entrepreneurial spirit, and drive that are so key to our independent agency culture,” said Hutchins. “She’s joining us at a time when we are ramping up new partnerships and exploring other exciting opportunities; she’ll play a valuable role in fueling this momentum and charting our continued growth strategies.”

Before joining VB+P, Smith spent the last ten years at Ogilvy, where she was instrumental in delivering on the company’s growth objectives and securing high-profile accounts across various industries, including B2B, Technology, Food & Beverage, Financial Services, Automotive, Education, and Social Impact/Non-Profits. She most recently held the role of New Business Director and led Ogilvy’s new business efforts across its San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, CA offices. Smith worked with executive leadership to accelerate the company’s growth in West Coast markets and strengthen the company’s reputation globally. Earlier in her career, Smith worked at Mindshare North America, a media investment agency under the WPP portfolio, where she managed business development and marketing efforts and helped the agency win over $800M in media billings. During her time at Mindshare, Smith previously filled the role of Senior Media Buyer on the National Broadcast team, supporting clients including CVS Pharmacy, Cisco, Bandai, and the US Virgin Islands.