• by Fern Siegel , December 13, 2024

Creative agency Venables Bell + Partners named Katie Smith as new business director.

Smith is expected to help fuel agency growth strategies.

Her appointment comes shortly after San Francisco-based VB+P was named agency of record for Scout Motors.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Katie to our team. She has fantastic experience, an entrepreneurial spirit and drive that are so key to our independent agency culture,” said Brittni Hutchins, managing director.

Prior to VB+P, Smith spent 10 years at Ogilvy, where she secure high-profile accounts across various industries, including B2B, technology, food and beverage, auto and financial services.

Her recent post as new business director led Ogilvy's efforts across its San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento offices.

Before that, Smith worked at Mindshare North America, part of WPP, where she managed business development and marketing efforts and helped the agency win more than $800M in media billings. As senior media buyer on the national broadcast team, she worked with CVS Pharmacy, Cisco, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Venables Bell + Partners has worked with brands such as Chipotle, Girl Scouts of the USA, Opendoor and AG1.