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Wieden+Kennedy Toronto has appointed its new creative leadership team, with Caroline Friesen and Robbie Percy taking on the role of executive creative directors. Working alongside Jared Stein (president), the pair will report to global chief creative officer Karl Lieberman, aiming to develop the global creative agency’s ever-expanding presence in the Canadian market.
Caroline and Robbie join from Rethink, where they previously shared the titles of partner and group creative director. This acquisition represents the start of a new era for Wieden+Kennedy Toronto – something Jared is eager to get exploring.
“Caroline and Robbie represent everything this next chapter at Wieden+Kennedy is about: bold ideas, fearless creativity, and a fresh perspective,” he says. “But more than that, they’ve consistently shown they can turn sharp thinking into standout work that actually moves people. They’re young, wildly talented, and already proven. This isn’t just a hire – it’s a statement about where we’re headed, and who we want to build around.”
Karl echoes Jared’s sentiments, emphasising that the agency’s new ECDs perfectly embody the Wieden+Kennedy ethos of looking for those who aren’t just talented, but possess a real connection to local culture, as well as the ability to reflect it via their creative product.
“Caroline and Robbie have a deep understanding of all the awesome and distinctive creative opportunities Toronto presents, plus a great track record of getting to the kind of ideas that create conversation out in the real world,” he says. “We’re so excited to have them at W+K as we settle into Canada.”
Indeed, the pair bring with them an impressive portfolio. Having led creative on the likes of Molson Coors and IKEA Canada’s accounts, producing acclaimed campaigns such as ‘See My Name’ and ‘U Up?’, it’s clear that Caroline and Robbie are no strangers to generating buzz while working with the country’s biggest brands. And, paired with a history of recognition at multiple global industry award shows, it really does seem that with this move, the sky’s the limit for Wieden+Kennedy Toronto’s future creative offerings.
“Since 1982, Wieden+Kennedy has been about building a place where people come to do the best work of their careers,” Jared notes. “That vision from Dan and Dave is what we’re executing against here in Toronto, by building a team, culture, and client roster that reflect the ambition and originality W+K is known for. These hires are a clear step in that direction, and an intentional investment in a new generation of creative leadership. They’re people who reflect the world around us and are fearless about where we can take it. In the Canadian market, that means partnering with brands who want to do bold, culture-moving work, and setting a new creative standard that drives real impact.”
Taking the Plunge, Together
Equally thrilled about this opportunity, unsurprisingly, are Caroline and Robbie. Determined to not only extend their streak of strong, culturally-influential work, but to establish a place where creatives are able to bring their own unique tastes and perspectives to the craft, in many ways, this new appointment is a dream come true.
“I feel like a lot of people have said, ‘If you ever start an agency, I’ll follow you’, so now’s the time,” the former jokes. “In seriousness, I’m excited to start our own thing within the walls of Wieden+Kennedy, bring my true self to a job, and work with people who also want to bring their true selves, their personality and interests into the work. That’s what makes the work really special, and I’m happy to lead an agency with that mindset.”
Reflecting Caroline’s enthusiasm, Robbie shares that he’s not only keen to dive in and meet everyone, but to embrace all the benefits of the agency’s business model. “Canada has a uniquely independent creative culture, and there’s so much opportunity and talent here right now,” he says. “With independence and creativity at its core, Wieden+Kennedy is such a natural fit for this market. We can’t wait to further blend these two unique cultures together and build the type of place we’ve always wanted to work.”
Nevertheless, choosing to leave Rethink was not a decision either ECD made lightly. While the pair are ultimately thrilled, Caroline admits that in some ways, the decision to join was as frightening as it was clear.
“When you have such a legendary, iconic agency trying to start something new, and you’re asked to run it creatively, it’s an obvious, but scary choice,” she reflects. “However, it is the right thing at the right moment for me.”
Meanwhile, according to Robbie, part of the allure of this opportunity was the possibility for the pair to fulfil some longstanding career ambitions. “Caro and I have always wanted to build something together, and we’ve also always admired and dreamed of working at Wieden+Kennedy,” he explains. “This was a rare opportunity to do both those things at the same time.”
The other crucial factor in their decision, as it turns out, was the fact that Robbie and Caroline were invited to come across as a duo. Having worked together for almost 10 years, neither would have been willing to leave the other behind, both due to their aforementioned shared ambition, but also because, simply, they bring different perspectives to the table – a key factor in the strength of their previous creative work.
“It was very important that Robbie and I joined together,” Caroline emphasises. “We’re a package deal. Our best results come when we’re able to work together as each other’s sounding boards.”
Ready to Get Cracking
With things officially kicking off today, one of the things on the minds of Jared, Robbie, Caroline – and the other higher-ups who have a stake in Wieden+Toronto’s creative success – is how this new creative leadership team will be working together, and what this will look like on a day-to-day basis.
Observing that various members of the trio all possess different inherent instincts, the president is the first to provide an answer, distilling their efforts-to-come into the pursuit of ideas that “stir emotion, spark laughter, or drive action”, noting that preferably, all three boxes get ticked.
Understandably, the new ECDs share Jared’s point of view. In a positive indicator for things to come, Caroline expresses that creating work with an impact on the world – that which “gets seeded into daily discussions” – is her and Robbie’s North Star, and Wieden+Kennedy’s global reputation for emphasising such values, in fact, was something she always knew would align with her own personal ethos.
“I think the thing we love the most is when we get texts from our family and friends outside of advertising – those who have seen the work out in the world and love it,” Robbie continues, building on Caroline’s point. “That’s a great barometer for the type of work we want to do. Work that people talk about. Work that breaks into culture, and creates culture.”
More than that, however, the pair is prioritising pushing for an environment where all creatives working at Wieden+Kennedy Toronto are able to put out work that reflects them, as only then can true, culturally-reflective creativity be fostered meaningfully.
“This is about bringing our personalities and points of view to the work,” Caroline emphasises. “Our biggest goal is to let creatives know they can be themselves here, and bring their own ideas to this place.”
Adding to this, Robbie says, “Anyone who’s worked with us knows we can’t help but bring our full selves to the work. We’re incredibly excited to do that, and to create a place where everyone gets to do that.”
If all this goes according to plan, undoubtedly, Wieden+Kennedy Toronto will be an interesting force to watch within the Canadian creative market over the coming months. However, even with such clear ambition, Jared insists that maintaining an internal sense of scale is imperative. Sure, new leadership poses an exciting opportunity for business wins, output, and internal culture, but at the end of the day, it’s always going to be about quality over quantity, first and foremost.
“We’re not chasing volume,” he finishes. “Instead, we’re chasing the kind of business that believes creativity isn’t a finish, but a force. And, with Caroline and Robbie on board, the message is clear: we’re here to lead, not follow.”
