Hill Holliday has hired Avin Narasimhan as chief strategy officer. He previously served as CSO at media and marketing communications agency PHD.

“Avin is one of the brightest stars in our industry, capable of integrating different disciplines and making an impact with culture-shaping ideas,” said Hill Holliday president Chris Wallrapp. “He understands our core vision of merging creativity and analytical rigor. A galvanizing presence, Avin will help unify our talent around a common language, evolved ways of working, and approaches to ideas that break down the false binary between driving sales today and brand building over the long term.”

Narasimhan joins Hill Holliday on the heels of significant wins, including being named Valvoline’s AOR and the addition of seven new brands to its healthcare practice. Narasimhan rounds out a creative and strategic team with Icaro Doria, who came on as chief creative officer in 2021. Together, Doria and Narasimhan will build on Hill Holliday’s current momentum and position the agency to compete for world-class new business and talent in 2022.

“Icaro and Avin share a strong point of view that strategy and creative are two sides of the same coin,” added Wallrapp. “Their charge is to continue ensuring that marketing science and data-driven insights are integrated seamlessly into creative planning.”

At PHD, Narasimhan’s strategic skills helped win new clients, including Red Bull, Cole Haan, Varo and CHANEL, and develop media and innovative ideas that drove business outcomes.

“Hill Holliday has been an iconic brand in the industry for decades, leading clients across every category to business performance and brand growth. As we head into 2022, I can’t think of another agency that is better set up for success, or one that has all the aspects of a marketing superpower; analytical rigor, strategic dexterity, media fluency and clout, and creative brilliance under Icaro’s leadership,” said Narasimhan. “Put all those things together, and I could not be more excited to help this storied agency reach new heights. 2022 will be our year to help our current clients thrive in our new world and bring onboard the clients of tomorrow who buy into our vision for their brand and business growth--today and into the future.”

Prior to PHD, Narasimhan worked at several agencies including R/GA, Arnold, Modernista, and Fallon. He has helped create award-winning work for TIAA‐CREF, (RED) and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.