• by Larissa Faw , March 3, 2017

Laird + Partners has appointed Patrick Yee as CEO of the NYC-based fashion, luxury and lifestyle branding agency. Trey Laird, founder and current CEO, will continue to serve as chief creative officer and chairman.

Based in New York, Yee will expand the agency's capabilities as well as recruit digital talent that can deliver what the 100-person agency is best known for – style and elevation – and for which there is fierce competition, he says.

Yee will also oversee Laird’s new content agency, AIR + Partners.

This new unit is being created in response to growing demand for content among clients. "Our ambition is to both enhance the agency’s current content offering and to attract new clients who are looking for an agency partner that can combine content creation, analytics, distribution channels and social platforms," says the agency.

Why the name AIR? "In addition to being at the center of Laird + Partners, it's the AIR we breathe," says Yee. "Content is everywhere and a natural development of the advertising model as consumer engagement and expectations shift."

Yee comes to the MDC Partners-owned agency from Refinery29, where he was an early partner and is credited with playing a key role in defining the brand and its content strategy. He spent eight years there, growing the company from under 10 employees to a nine-figure global business with over 450 employees worldwide.

“As content creation and digital strategy are increasingly transforming our industry, I wanted to find a bold and forward-thinking partner to take our capabilities and expertise to a totally different level, and Patrick has that vision,” said Laird. “His experience in making Refinery29 one of the world’s leading lifestyle media brands, his passion for providing compelling and original content, and his overall digital media experience make him the perfect leader to bring on-board.”