Fallon has appointed Nikki Baker as its new CEO. Baker, who joined the creative agency in 2018 and has served as co-chief creative officer with Leslie Shaffer since 2021, succeeds Rocky Novak, who has been in the role since 2019.
Baker’s promotion to CEO comes at a time of significant momentum for the agency, including six consecutive years of growth and award-winning work.
Baker’s recent career highlights include creatively leading the Walmart partnership with the Publicis Groupe team and spearheading innovative campaigns such as the award-winning “RomCommerce” 23-episodic series and the internet-breaking Mean Girls campaign, among hundreds of other campaigns together with the brand over the past few years. Together with Shaffer, Baker has also been instrumental in elevating Fallon’s creative output for longstanding clients like Arby’s, Mattress Firm, and Front Door/American Home Shield.
“I’ve always been an admirer of Fallon, even before I joined. The chance to lead the agency is an absolute honor. Fallon is a place like no other with amazing talent and a legacy of building big, innovative, creative ideas,” said Baker. “Rocky has represented the best of Fallon. He’s been a great leader, and I couldn’t be more excited to take the reins and lead the agency through to the next chapter. With creativity at our core, we’re going to be as ambitious as ever, push boundaries, and continue embracing emerging platforms to deliver work that truly resonates in culture.”
Prior to joining Fallon six years ago, Baker held positions as creative director and art director at agencies including DDB and GSD&M, working with major brands such as McDonald’s, Southwest Airlines, and Wrigley. Her work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, and The One Show, among others.
Baker’s appointment comes as Fallon continues to strengthen its position in the industry, with several recent wins including Cuisinart and multiple brands in the entertainment space. The agency has also made strides in diversity and inclusion, with BIPOC representation increasing another 5% over the past year, and women comprising 60% of leadership roles.
“Nikki’s visionary approach to creativity and her ability to drive real business impacts make her the ideal leader to guide Fallon into its next chapter,” said Susie Nam, CEO of Publicis Creative US. “She is the perfect alchemy of moxie, original thinking, leadership and pretty darn fun to be around too!”
As CEO, Baker will focus on driving growth, developing Fallon’s creative capabilities and nurturing the agency’s culture of innovation and inclusivity. Her leadership will continue to build upon one of Fallon’s founding beliefs by delivering work that outsmarts vs outspends the competition–something incredibly relevant in today’s media landscape. Additionally, Baker will continue to be involved in the Walmart business through the Publicis Power of One model.
“After 22 years at Fallon, including the last six as CEO, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built and beyond excited to hand the baton to Nikki, a groundbreaking creative leader who will continue to be a champion of our people, clients, and work,” said Novak.
Baker will shift into the role of CEO immediately and Shaffer will continue to creatively lead Fallon as chief creative officer.
