People on the Move

Ad agency Eleven, Inc. has appointed Gary Stein as group director of marketplace insights, and Monique Verrier as director of creative services.  Both are newly created positions at the shop.

Stein will focus on expanding the agency’s abilities to connect to consumers throughout their journey. His expertise in research and insight, coupled with his ability to map out a client’s business landscape will drive Eleven’s media and communications strategies. He will report to Alison Fowler, Eleven’s chief activation officer. Prior to joining Eleven, he was the  sr. VP of strategy at Sterling Brands and served in strategy and management positions at Isobar and iCrossing.

Verrier will act as an advocate for Eleven’s creative teams, overseeing professional development, leading recruiting and resourcing efforts and providing mentorship for young creative leaders. She will report to Mike McKay, Eleven’s chief creative officer. She brings global experience in making personal and professional connections as the founder and principal of ADEPT Creative Project Management, a training series offering a curriculum for project managers who manage projects and people in creatively-driven environments. She previously managed creative departments at Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.

Celebrating 20 years in digital finishing, restoration and postproduction solutions for the global entertainment industry, illuminate has named media veteran Tal Fiala as its president. The announcement was made by CEO Jim Hardy.

Throughout his career, Fiala has tapped a keen ability to spot trends, expand revenues, motivate teams and cultivate long-lasting client relationships. He has generated new business and improved productivity by collaborating with such major brands as HBO, Amazon, Netflix and Hulu, and with studio and TV network executives. Fiala has also negotiated both budgets and sales contracts for postproduction services with Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Disney and DreamWorks.

“As we look ahead [at illuminate],” said Fiala, “we’re focused on expanding our creative services to accommodate an increase in content production across multiple platforms, as well as to maintain our unique ability to help our clients monetize untapped library assets through leading-edge restoration technology.”

Before joining illuminate, Fiala was sr. VP of business development for Modern VideoFilm, where he secured millions of dollars in revenue for the company’s features, television and distribution areas by tapping his extensive relationships with key studio and TV network executives. His ability to implement and direct several profitable initiatives helped expand Modern VideoFilm both domestically and internationally, giving the company footprints in New York City, Santa Monica, New Orleans and China.

As VP of sales for Ascent Media (a Liberty Media company) from 2003 to 2007, Fiala successfully generated new revenues by identifying unique opportunities and clients in adjacent markets. He also increased sales by improving client relations and establishing a solid referral network.

Also a talented finance professional, Fiala served as financial advisor for UBS Paine Webber from 2000 to 2003, during which he managed a portfolio of $10+ million in assets with a yearly increase of 25% and consistently maintained status as top nationally producing broker within his defined peer group. Fiala further boosted company sales by developing and executing special marketing events.

Oscar-winning visual effects and creative content studio Framestore has hired Eileen Cooney as head of campaigns, a newly created role for the company. Drawing on her expertise building 360-degree activations, Cooney at Framestore will be immersed in brand campaigns from briefing to completion, building close partnerships with clients. Cooney will be based in New York and report directly to Jon Collins, president of Integrated Advertising, Worldwide.

Cooney’s appointment comes at a time of rapid growth and evolution of Framestore’s capabilities. These include the development of a creative consulting offering for select clients and the establishment of a VR Studio last year that’s spawned pioneering projects for brands and Hollywood across Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR.

Prior to Framestore, Cooney worked as a campaign director for Mission Media in the U.K., running creative direction, brand strategy and business partnerships for all campaigns. Cooney started her advertising career in New York, working as a project manager for the Rock n’ Roll Circus at Lincoln Center. Cooney then worked for Translation LLC as the director of special projects, and freelanced for Gravity Road.

Final Cut has expanded its postproduction arm, Significant Others, with the hiring of creative director Dirk Greene. He will oversee Significant Others’ development into a full service visual effects boutique.

Greene’s career spans seven years at Absolute as creative director, and well over a decade as sr. Flame artist/VFX supervisor at The Mill. British-born Greene joined The Mill London in its early years, and was a contributing force in the facility’s growth to prominence. As a principal creative, working on numerous high profile commercials and music videos, Greene along with a small team of Mill UK employees, led the company’s first global expansion, with the launch of The Mill New York.

In 2008, after 12 years at The Mill, Greene once again embarked on the challenge of building a brand stateside, joining Absolute as creative director and developing the New York office from one room into a fully operating visual effects and CG facility.

Greene created the visual effects for acclaimed spots for Levi’s, Nike, Adidas, Sony, BMW and Guinness, plus numerous Super Bowl hits for Fed Ex, Snickers, Verizon, Budweiser and the NFL. He has continued on this path with his first project for Significant Others, an upcoming Samsung spot directed by design master, GMUNK (Bradley G Munkowitz), of Tron and Oblivion effects fame. Greene has won a number of awards including Clios for the groundbreaking AT&T Olympic “The New Possible” campaign and The White Stripes’ “The Hardest Button to Button,” for which he was also nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Visual Effects.

Stephanie Apt, president of Final Cut/Significant Others, said that the hiring of Greene “is just the beginning of our continued effort to offer more complex solutions to clients with a full team of talent.”

“Launching with the support of such a renowned brand, we can continue to maintain the Final Cut aesthetic while building our own unique place in the industry,” related Greene. “We want to produce the best-looking work, with great people, in a truly collaborative way.”

Final Cut is a creative editorial and post company collaborating on commercials, feature films and music videos with offices in London, New York and Los Angeles.