MSQ hires Tamsin James as first Chief Marketing Officer

MSQ, the next-generation creative, media, tech and data business, has appointed Tamsin James as its first Chief Marketing Officer as it embarks on further ambitious growth plans.

James joins the group after four years as the Head of Brand and Marketing for Shine for Women, a global consultancy aimed at accelerating gender equality.

Her arrival marks the first time in its 13-year history that MSQ has hired a CMO, and James will work closely with the MSQ Executive Team to further evolve the group proposition and share its story with clients, employees and other stakeholders.

During her career, James has worked for some of the UK’s most respected creative and media agencies. She spent almost 8-years at Maxus, where she became Global Head of Agency Brand and Communications and oversaw comms activity during the business’ merger with MEC.

She then became Global Marketing Director of the newly formed Wavemaker as a result of the deal, driving best-in-class marketing across 88 markets.

James’ arrival follows consecutive years of rapid growth at MSQ. The group now has more than 1200 people working across 11 agencies, and was recently ranked by Nielsen Ad Intel as the UK’s fastest-growing advertising holding company.

In June last year MSQ was acquired by One Equity Partners, the leading international private equity firm, in a deal that enables MSQ to continue its ambitious growth strategy delivered through new acquisitions, as well as organic growth.

Since the OEP deal MSQ has launched a series of new services, including MSQ Commerce and MSQ Source, and helped some of its existing agencies launch in new markets, such as Smarts in Amsterdam and Brave Spark in New York. The group also became a B Corp last year, and agreed groundbreaking new partnerships with organisations including LinkedIn and InfoSum.

Last month, MSQ’s Global Head of Marketing, Matt Williams, who had been responsible for MSQ’s marketing activity since 2019, joined MSQ’s creative studio, Brave Spark, as its first dedicated New Business and Marketing Director.

Kate Howe, Executive Director of MSQ, says: “MSQ is constantly evolving and I couldn’t be happier to add yet more firepower to the group. Tamsin knows exactly what it takes to manage major agency brands and is expertly placed to tell the MSQ story as we enter another exciting new chapter.”

James says: “MSQ has quickly become one of the most interesting and forward-thinking agency groups and I’m really excited to join the next stage of the journey. The business is full of energy and ambition and brimming with new potential to unlock. I’m really looking forward to immersing myself in an agency environment again and working with such a well-respected leadership team.”