Faris Yakob joins MDC Partners as Chief Innovation Officer Tweet

Will Work Closely with MDC Agencies on Strategic Initiatives.

NEW YORK - MDC Partners Inc. announced that they have hired Faris Yakob as Chief Innovation Officer for the network. In his new position, he will work closely with all of MDC's agencies including kirshenbaum bond senecal + partners, Vitro Robertson, Redscout and Colle + McVoy, taking an inspirational leadership role. He will draw on technology, culture and academia to help deliver innovative solutions for clients. He will be working alongside planners and creatives, developing strategic initiatives and processes. Faris will seek out a broad range of new opportunities for clients, agency partners and the network as a whole. He will also write, blog, and speak about the industry.

Prior to joining MDC Partners, Faris was EVP, Chief Technology Strategist at McCann Erickson NY, where he helped clients develop digital strategies and ideas. During his tenure, he helped Kohl's engage its customers on Facebook and gain 1 million plus fans, as well as concepted and developed the Nikon Twitter Film Festival. Before McCann, he spent five years as the Digital Ninja at groundbreaking agency Naked Communications, where he worked on the Sony, Google, Yahoo, Nestle, Nokia, and Coca-Cola accounts in Sydney, London and New York.

Faris writes about brands, media, communications, and technology for a number of publications including the Financial Times, Fast Company, Forbes, and Contagious, as well as a number of advertising and marketing trade publications. He writes a blog called "Talent Imitates, Genius Steals", which Campaign named as one of the top ten advertising blogs in the UK, and is one of the top advertising planning blogs in the world. He has served on the jury for the "Content and Contact" category at the Clio Awards, and the digital jury for the Campaign BIG Awards, and is the President of the "NEW" category jury for the London International Awards this year, for the second year running.

"Faris is one of the most brilliant strategic thinkers I have met in this industry. He has been able to achieve amazing things for his clients both at Naked and then at McCann, and I am extremely excited that he is now a part of our Strategic Resources Group, and we can offer his unique brand of thinking to our agencies and their clients," said Miles Nadal, Chairman & CEO, MDC Partners. "The addition of Faris to our network is a further example of our dedication to delivering the smartest, most creative and results driven thought leaders who understand the challenges and opportunities facing brands today, and can provide innovative strategic solutions to our clients and our agencies. MDC Partners is truly 'The Place Where Great Talent Lives".

About MDC Partners, Inc.

MDC Partners is a progressive Marketing and Communications Network, championing the most innovative entrepreneurial talent. MDC Partners provides strategic solutions and services multinational clients in North America, Europe and Latin America. Our philosophy emphasizes the utilization of Strategy and Creativity to drive growth and measurable impact. "MDC Partners is The Place Where Great Talent Lives." The company's Class A shares are publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol "MDCA" and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MDZ.A".

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