Erica Roberts has been appointed chief creative officer at BBH USA. Roberts will lead all creative strategy and execution for BBH USA clients including Samsung, Google, Mattel’s Barbie, Netflix, Martell U.S. and Brighthouse Financial. Roberts will partner closely with Amani Duncan, CEO of BBH USA, report to Carla Serrano, chief strategy officer, Publicis Groupe, and will join the BBH global board.
A 15-year Publicis Groupe veteran, Roberts has led award-winning, business-transforming work across nearly every category, from CPG to QSR, financial services and retail. She most recently served as CCO of Publicis NY. A champion of Publicis Groupe’s Power of One model, Roberts helped relaunch 10 brands within The J.M. Smucker Company’s portfolio including Jif, Folgers, Milkbone and Café Bustelo. She led Jif’s recent award-winning creative campaigns “Jif vs. Gif,” and the Lil Jif Project’s #JifRapChallenge. In her new role, Roberts will also bring BBH’s cultural fuel and creativity to Power of One accounts she has nurtured over the years.
“It’s such an honor to be joining BBH, one of the most storied creative brands in the world. The BBH USA team has been doing remarkable work over the past year, and I’m excited to build on this momentum to propel the agency, its talent and its clients into their next phase of growth and creative transformation,” said Roberts.
Her appointment shows further advancement of BBH’s presence and impact in the U.S. and its unique strengths across diversity, culture and innovation. The news follows the promotion of Duncan to CEO earlier this year, and Alex Grieve being appointed to a newly created global CCO role as well as the launch of the new global BBH board. These announcements herald a commitment to empowering local leadership, maintaining global connectivity across the BBH offices, and driving the power of creativity across the agency’s key markets.
“BBH USA has built a strong creative reputation in the U.S. for championing and producing culturally relevant and diverse ideas and experiences for brands,” said Duncan. “With Erica joining us and our team of creative all-stars, we will continue to bring this approach to life–both in the work we do for our clients and in the culture we create for our people.”
Grieve, BBH’s global and London CCO, said, “Erica has talent to burn. She’s won everything there is to win. But, much more than that, she has character. Her huge ambition is matched only by her huge heart. She’s empathetic, straight-talking and resilient. Erica is the shepherd this flock of black sheep needs. We expect great things.”
BBH USA has enjoyed strong growth over the past 18 months, with headcount increasing by 77%, and the agency landing new clients including LinkedIn, Google, Walmart, Mattel, Netflix, Lionsgate and Martell U.S. BBH USA’s work was recognized with more than 50 trophies at Cannes Lions, One Show, D&AD, ANDYs, Clios and Webbys.
Implemented in October 2021, BBH’s global board is chaired by Annette King and Grieve and comprised of: Karen Martin, chief executive of BBH London; Duncan; Arto Hampartsoumian, managing partner and executive chairman of Publicis Groupe China; Christine Ng, chairwoman of BBH Singapore and China; Sid Tuli, managing director of BBH Singapore; Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer of BBH APAC; Adam Arnold, global chief marketing officer of BBH; and Roberts.
