DDB North America Appoints Coca-Cola Veteran Catherine Locker to Newly Created Role as Chief of Staff

DDB North America announced today that Catherine Locker, former Group Director, Strategic Marketing, for Coca-Cola North America, will join the agency in the newly created role of Chief of Staff, effective January 9. Locker’s primary responsibilities will be to administratively lead the North American Leadership Team, as well as to accelerate and operationalize DDB Flex initiatives across 17 agencies as the agency further integrates the network to maximize effectiveness and efficiency for its clients. She will report directly to Wendy Clark, Chief Executive Officer of DDB North America.

Wendy Clark stated, “Catherine is a classically trained brand leader who has deep experience in leading and operationalizing brand initiatives across a complex multi-tiered organization on a global scale. Her experience and know-how make her the perfect fit to build the connective tissue between our agencies, our work and our clients. Growth within our existing clients and new business wins mean we need her leadership and experience now more than ever to align and integrate our total network resources.”

Locker joins DDB North America after 10 years with Coca-Cola. During that time, she led the development, expansion and implementation of key marketing capabilities, processes and approaches. Prior to her tenure with Coca-Cola, she was the Global Brand Director for Glaceau International.

“More than ever clients need great work, at the speed of the marketplace with maximum efficiency. To meet these expectations, DDB has been driving more cross-agency collaboration and integration, and innovating the ways they work. I’m excited to add to and accelerate these already solid efforts,” said Locker. “No marketer leaves Coca-Cola easily, but the momentum at DDB and the opportunity to contribute to their further success is something I’m genuinely excited to do,” she added.

Locker’s appointment follows last month’s announcement that Ari Weiss would become DDB’s first-ever Chief Creative Officer in North America, and is Clark’s second executive hire since she joined the agency as Chief Executive Officer.