• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, November 25, 2022

UK-based social media and influencer agency Goat has hired Ogilvy veteran Lauriann Serra to oversee its rapidly growing US business as managing director.

She was previously a senior partner and managing director at Ogilvy where she was a strategic brand and marketing lead for multiple global and regional clients. 

During her 15-years at Ogilvy and throughout her career, Serra has worked across multiple industries, including premium foods and beverages, premium bottled water, entertainment, luxury, wine, toys, and health and wellness. 

Before joining Ogilvy, she was director, interactive experiences, global innovation and marketing at Lego, a role spanning the USA, UK and Denmark. 

Since opening its New York hub in 2018, the seven-year-old influencer marketing agency has grown by over 350% making the U.S. its fastest growing market. 

The agency says it uses a “test-and-learn approach” to influencer marketing that deploys massive amounts of campaign data to guarantee results for a fixed price. It has launched over 2,000 campaigns for clients like Dell, Mars, and Intuit among others. 

“Brands are aggressively moving more of their budgets into social and influencer,” says Goat co-founder Nick Cooke. “Lauriann’s understanding of the U.S. market, and experience helping major brands develop a social first approach will help us and our clients as we continue to grow and innovate in this space.” 

Goat’s billings are approaching $100 million annually. It employs 190 people across multiple global territories, primarily the U.S., UK and Singapore.