FCB Bolsters Creative Department with Six New Hires

FCB announced today that Bobby Martiniello and Gaby Makarewicz have joined the agency as creative directors and Coleman Mallery has joined as an associate creative director. Additionally, Jennifer Rossini has been promoted to executive creative director, Caleb McMullen and Hussein Rumaithi and Cody Sabatine and Joseph Vernuccio have been promoted to associate creative directors.

Bobby and Gaby will report to Nancy Crimi-Lamanna, chief creative officer. They both have over 10 years of experience in the industry working on flashy brands like the Toronto Raptors and Canadian Olympic Committee, but also hard-working brands like Coke and PC Financial.

The two partnered up five years ago at Sid Lee where they were instrumental in winning key business accounts like Netflix (US) as well as brands across the Molson portfolio (Heineken, Old Style Pilsner, MGD). Since then, they’ve spent years freelancing across North America on large-scale campaigns for everything from grocery delivery to acne solutions and fried chicken sandwiches to macroeconomics. 

“At FCB, we are always trying to disrupt the marketplace with innovative ideas, ideas that don’t always look like traditional advertising. That is because we believe that disruptive ideas allow creativity to become an economic multiplier for our clients,” said Nancy. “After working with Bobby and Gaby, it became apparent they strive for the same type of work, so it became a perfect match.”

They’ve made names for themselves by being insight-driven and strategic-minded, but equally obsessed with storytelling and craft. And while they’ve won at every major award show both internationally and in Canada, what gets Gaby and Bobby excited today is solving real client problems in effective, culture-shaping ways. 

“We had been freelancing for quite a while, but when we did a stint at FCB, we realized there is a strong shared interest in brand and relationship building,” said Bobby. “We were also won over by the fact that at FCB, collaboration isn't just a buzzword. As we've always believed, the work is better when everybody has a part in shaping it.” added Gaby.

Coleman Mallery, associate creative director (copywriter) has always been a strong believer in big creative ideas, smart strategic thinking, and the theory that lists are better when they come in threes. Mallery’s work has been recognised by D&AD, The One Show, Clios, and more. Prior to joining FCB, he spent time at Leo Burnett, Sid Lee, and Zulu Alpha Kilo, where he worked on a wide range of clients across every industry, including Kellogg’s, TD Bank, and Melanin Gamers. Mallery has come to FCB to partner with Sanna Kula. 

Natalie Lake, design lead, began her journey with FCB as a freelancer in 2021 and joined the agency full-time in 2023. Prior to joining FCB, Natalie built an impressive career working as an art director at Watt International, Arrivals and Departures, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky where she contributed to the success of various projects for clients such as McDonald's, Second Cup Coffee, Foodland Ontario, Market 32, PetSmart, Mikes Hard Lemonade, and Cadillac Fairview.

Natalie's approach to design is deeply rooted in empathy for the consumer experience and a commitment to problem-solving through smart design solutions. She lives by the words of Steve Jobs, "Stay hungry, stay foolish," inspiring her to constantly seek growth and exploration in her work.

A young and hungry creative team, An Trinh and Shreyas Karambelkar, also joined FCB in May. Before moving to Toronto, An was the lead writer at Ogilvy Vietnam on Kimberly-Clark, Samsung, and Unilever. With experiences in both the Australian and Vietnamese markets, An has gained a distinct way of thinking that drives her work to insightful and exciting places.   

Shreyas brings to the team a breadth of experience in art direction from his time at Publicis and Havas India across a range of clients like Citroën, The Body Shop, and Ferrero Rocher. His recent student work was recognised by The One Show ADC, and Applied Art Awards. An and Shreyas share the ambition to create brave and innovative work that contributes to the ad scene in Toronto with their fresh perspectives.