• by Fern Siegel , April 23, 2024

Leo Burnett Chicago named Kate Jeffers as Chief Executive Officer, effective May 15. 

Jeffers will head the agency's flagship Chicago office and key brand partnerships, including Bank of America, Beam Suntory, Kellogg’s and Nintendo. 

She reports to Publicis Groupe Creative U.S. CEO Susie Nam.

“Few agencies have a 90-year track record of consistently innovating to build brands at mass scale, to activate audiences, and to impact culture," said Jeffers. 

Previously, she spent two decades at creative agency Venables Bell + Partners, which counts Audi, Chipotle and Intel on its rosters, where she served as partner and president. In addition, she led the agency’s early adoption of AI and its AI consultancy, Braive. 

Before that, Jeffers held posts at Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles and Paris, TBWA/Chiat/Day and Goodby Silverstein & Partners, launching both the Apple iPod and Toyota Prius.

Nam cited Jeffers' record of building an agency culture that inspires creativity and nurtures innovation. “When you combine that with Leo Burnett’s consumer acumen, range and expertise in building brands for the masses, it puts Leo Burnett on a trajectory to assert its right to lead the industry creatively.”