Independent creative agency Zambezi has promoted its executive director of business operations, Laura Stayt, to the role of president. Stayt will oversee the agency’s continued global expansion while also growing her business operational duties, continuing to oversee the agency’s profitability, growth, talent, communications, and business development, and will focus on the client experience of Zambezi’s entire roster across all divisions, which includes brands like Under Armour, TaylorMade, UKG, Ember, Google, and Traeger.
Since joining Zambezi in 2018 as a group account director for the agency’s first global work with Beats by Dr. Dre, Stayt has spearheaded the growth of the agency’s capabilities including FIN Studios, its production division, School, its social strategy, content and influencer marketing arm, and Scale, its media department, all of which are fast-growing and critical parts of the agency’s modern and integrated offerings to brands that have attracted large global creative accounts like Under Armour.
“Compared to six years ago when we were a smaller independent agency, Zambezi has grown exponentially more complex in what we can offer brands and that requires strong day-to-day operational leadership,” said Jean Freeman, principal and CEO of Zambezi. “Time and again, Laura has not only demonstrated that she can confidently steer the ship, but also lead the next phase of becoming a global agency.”
Prior to joining Zambezi, Stayt developed her operational and account management expertise running the global business for brands like Wrigley, Blackberry, PayPal, Airbnb, and Nissan while working at agencies like Crispin Porter + Bogusky, TBWAChiatDay, and AMV BBDO–where she started her career after leaving Oxford University.
“I’m grateful to have grown up in big network agencies–cutting my teeth on large global clients and learning the fundamentals of great client management and running a complex agency business–but I deliberately wanted to join an independent agency,” said Stayt. “Zambezi has a truly special culture that supports passion, collaboration, and an entrepreneurial spirit, which has excelled my growth enormously. I’m excited to continue fostering this mindset and hunger in the agency as we continue to expand.”
Beyond work, Stayt is raising her own new talent as the mom to a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old and is proud to be part of the largest female-owned and led agency in the U.S.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More