Publicis Groupe's Level Studios Names Dan Connolly CEO

People may be getting tired of sending Dan Connolly congratulatory flowers. In the past 16 months, Level Studios has promoted Connolly from partner to president, and now, CEO. 

Connolly will oversee all business units across the agency’s U.S. and European locations, as well as sit on the Brand Leadership team of Level Studios' parent network Razorfish Global. Connolly will be supported by Rishad Tobaccowala, Publicis Groupe chief strategist and Member of Directoire +, who will play a key advisory role for the agency.

As the new CEO, he says his primary objectives are to finish building out Level’s executive leadership team, align talent across existing and new offices, and to work closely with the newly formed Razorfish Global and Brand leadership teams. 

He also will be accumulating frequent-flyer miles. While his home base is San Luis Obispo, CA, his expanded role will now require him to travel between Level’s offices and clients, splitting most of his time between the Bay Area and New York.

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Connolly's elevation has coincided with the agency's growth. His oversight is credited with boosting agency revenues 45.7% year-over-year from 2013.

In the four months since his August promotion to president, Connolly expanded the agency’s client roster and strengthened his leadership team by hiring Ben Ryken to the newly created business development director position and promoting Deborah Heslip to partner. Now, Heslip has been asked to assume a larger role within the agency leading all client-facing initiatives. This will allow Connolly to take a "holistic approach" to driving the agency forward. 

“Dan has proven himself to be a strong leader and has been instrumental in charting a new era of growth and expansion for Level Studios,” said Tobaccowala. “His entrepreneurial mindset has allowed him to not only grow existing business beyond expectations but also expand the agency’s scope of work with innovative, up-and-coming brands. He is a true asset to the Razorfish Global Brand Leadership team.”

The CEO role at Level was last filled by Tom Adamski, who took the helm of Rosetta in April of 2013 and was recently tapped to lead Razorfish Global.

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