Frannie Rhodes Named as First US Executive Director of Creative Talent at MullenLowe

MullenLowe US chief creative officer Mark Wenneker always said he would someday work again with creative talent leader Frannie Rhodes, and they would do something amazing together. Now is the time, as MullenLowe US is bringing Frannie on as its first US executive director of creative talent. Frannie will partner with Mark on future investments in creative talent and capabilities, particularly in the agency’s fast-growing areas of social media, design, data-driven creativity, and brand experience.

 

Frannie joins MullenLowe at a time of significant growth and momentum. The agency had a 92 percent win rate in new business pitches this year, adding Avis, AXE, TaxAct, Navy Federal Credit Union, and more to its client roster. These new partnerships added to a portfolio that already includes innovative brands like Burger King, Google, JetBlue, and E*TRADE.

At MullenLowe, Frannie will lead creative recruiting, resourcing, and creative management across US offices, reporting to Mark and Lee Newman, the agency’s US CEO. 

Frannie was most recently executive director, creative operations at TBWA\CHIAT\DAY New York where she played a large role in the agency’s creative renaissance. She recruited top talent, built out the agency’s creative department and helped launch Design by Disruption, TBWA CHIAT\DAY\New York’s design offering.  

Frannie and Mark first worked together at Goodby Silverstein & Partners 18 years ago, where she started out in account management. She then jumped at the chance to get her hands on every part of a small agency when StrawberryFrog lured her to New York as director of operations and creative services. After StrawberryFrog, she found herself missing the west coast and joined David&Goliath as executive director of talent before she was recruited to go back East for TBWA\CHIAT\DAY New York. She describes herself as having a heart for New York, and a heart for Los Angeles, and a love for building creative cultures. 

MullenLowe has set a global leadership vision for 2021, which is to build an agency made up of 50 percent creative makers: people who are on the front lines of inventing, creating, and producing creative ideas in one form or another.  

“There is nobody I trust more to help architect our creative future than Frannie,” said Mark. “She is a force who knows how to get big things done. With our ambitious goal to make MullenLowe 50 percent creative by 2021, her experience is exactly what we need.”

“Mark has a clear creative vision for MullenLowe, and the opportunity to help him and the leadership team build out this vision was something I couldn’t pass up,” said Frannie. “He is an entrepreneur to the core and I like how he freestyles. It’s how I like to work, and I feed off that type of energy.”

“It all starts with the right talent.” added Lee. “So when you have an opportunity to work with someone who can help you attract and utilise the best talent in the industry, you jump at it.”