Lisa Torres to Head Multicultural at ZenithOptimedia

ZenithOptimedia has appointed Lisa Torres president of its multicultural unit. Mostly recently, Ms. Torres was exec VP-group account director for MPG's diversity unit, where she grew the company's diversity business, while helping acquire new clients such as Dannon and Sears Holding Company. She has also held management positions at Carat USA, Inc., Conill Advertising and SiboneyUSA. Ms. Torres was named president of the AAAA's Multicultural Committee in 2008. She has also been recognized as one of Crain's New York Business Top 40 Under 40. ZenithOptimedia's multicultural unit's clients include JPMorgan Chase, Denny's, General Mills, Twentieth Century Fox, L'Oreal, Nestle and Payless. Young & Rubicam, Toronto, has tapped Israel Diaz as exec VP-chief creative officer of Y&R's Toronto office. He will be responsible for overseeing creative for clients including The Ford Motor Company of Canada, Pfizer Consumer Health Care, Colgate-Palmolive Canada, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, LG and Hershey Canada. Mr. Diaz comes to Y&R from David & Goliath, where he helped start the Toronto office. While there, he served as managing partner and executive creative director, overseeing work for Kia Motors Canada. Prior to D&G, he was managing partner, senior VP-creative director of Leo Burnett, Toronto for five years, working on campaigns for such brands as Visa, Kellogg's, Blackberry, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble. Digitas, Boston, has named three new executive hires: Darren Foot was named senior VP-director of brand marketing, charged with leading client relationships and drive new business for the Boston and Detroit offices. Mr. Foot was formerly group director at Modernista, where he oversaw the brand-leadership department and drove senior-level client management for brands including Hummer and Palm. Jamie Ferreira has been appointed VP-group creative director. Most recently, he was the head of digital creation at Mullen, where he ran the JetBlue, Zappos, Boston Bruins and Timberland accounts. Before joining Mullen, Mr. Ferreira was a creative director at Arnold on the Goodyear, Volkswagen, ESPN, RadioShack and Progressive accounts, and prior to that, he was a creative director at McKinney, heading Audi, Travelocity, Nasdaq and Victory Motorcycles. His work has been recognized by Cannes, the One Show, the Kelly Awards, Graphis and Communication Arts. Donna Tocci was named VP-group director, social marketing. She joins Digitas from Ingersoll Rand, where she was director-web/new media, developing global social marketing and digital strategies. Ms. Tocci is a Marketing Profs B2B Advisory Board member and regularly speaks at prominent industry events. MediaVest USA has tapped Sam Chadha as exec VP-managing director. In this role, Mr. Chadha will lead the Kraft North America agency of record and a team that combines the capabilities of MediaVest and Digitas. Mr. Chadha has more than 15 years of experience in the marketing industry, including stints at companies such as Jose Cuervo Tequila, AMC Network and Unilever. Mr. Chadha was named to Ad Age's "40 Under 40" in 2007 and in 2008 received the Global Media Award for Outstanding Platform from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the Degree Men deodorant's digital series "The Rookie," which he spearheaded. Kevin Gilbert has joined TRIS3CT as chief strategy officer. Mr. Gilbert comes to the Chicago-based independent agency from Arc Worldwide/Leo Burnett, where he was VP-strategic planning director responsible for leading brand, promotional, digital and retail strategy for McDonald's. During his tenure, he led strategic development on the brand's award-winning and largest-ever digital partnership with "Avatar" and helped launch product initiatives including McCafe, Angus Third Pounders and Snack Wraps. Previously, he was research director for D.S. Howard and Associates, a pharmaceutical and health-care consultancy. Grab Networks has added Orlando Reece to its New York City office as senior VP-ad sales, and has selected Jeffrey Trip to head its new San Francisco office as VP-ad sales. Mr. Reece brings more than 20 years of TV and digital sales experience to the video-syndication network, most recently leading the broadcast sales team at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Mr. Tripp, who also brings 20 years of industry experience to the position, most recently started and led West Coast sales for TheStreet.com. Additionally, Grab Networks promoted Dave Jackson to chief revenue officer.

Lisa Torres to Head Multicultural at ZenithOptimedia

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