• by Fern Siegel , August 11, 2025

Marketing-advertising agency Park & Battery named Paul Birks-Hay as president.

Co-founder Ted Kohnen remains as CEO.

Birks-Hay's remit is global client service and project delivery, utilizing his experience in both agency and client-side companies.

Previously, he was CMO for Hamsa, a fintech payment platform he co-founded and helped grow to a $250 million valuation in less than five years. Before that, he was partner-president at the San Francisco-based creative agency Venables Bell & Partners and managing partner at AMV BBDO in London. 

His campaign experience includes Audi, Chipotle, Google, REI, Diageo and Mercedes-Benz.

Founded in 2022, the agency's new business wins include healthcare and biotech accounts.

Kohnen said: “We hadn’t expected to be in a position to bring in someone at this level so early in our journey. Paul has a combination of top-tier agency leadership and deep client management and marketing experience that makes him the ideal person to lead our Park & Battery teams.”

P&B's client roster includes Meta, Kaiser Permanente, UBS, Jack in the Box, Roto Rooter, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Acxiom and Oakland Roots SC.

Headquartered in Oakland, California, the agency has hubs in New York, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Miami, Toronto, Mexico City and the UK.

Michael Ruby, co-founder/chief creative officer of Park & Battery, added Birks-Hay's “arrival lets me lean even further into the creative innovation that makes us special — and gives us another powerhouse at the helm to help steer what’s next.”