Lilian Sor Becomes Howatson+Co’s Chief Strategy Officer

Howatson+Company has appointed former CHEP chief strategy officer Lilian Sor as the agency’s new CSO.

The appointment comes after LBB revealed Dom Hickey’s departure from the agency after three years, and BBDO Worldwide merged CHEP Network and Traffik with Clemenger. Simon Wassef has become chief strategy and experience officer at the newly-merged agency.

The appointment is a reunion of sorts for Lilian and Howatson+Company founder and CEO Chris Howatson, who was CHEP CEO and sat on the Clemenger Group Board during Lilian’s stint as CSO at Clemenger BBDO.

Chris said, “I have known Lil for many years and admired her for just as many. She’s a strategist obsessed by effectiveness. Her energy lifts the room and her values steer all to the right thing, not the popular thing.

“She cares fiercely. All these qualities make her the perfect person to lead strategy.”

Lilian has previously led planning teams in Sydney, Melbourne, and London for agencies including AMV BBDO, Grey London, Clemenger BBDO, and CHEP Network. In 2023, she led CHEP to the highly-coveted Effective Agency of the Year gong at the Effies.

She has won multiple other effectiveness awards across Australia, Europe, and APAC, including a Gold IPA and Grand Effie.

“Howie and the team continue to set the industry bar high, with their trademark combination of speed, modernity, intelligence, craft and passion,” she said of joining Howatson+Co.

“Their restless energy is contagious, and I can’t wait to help shepherd and champion the formidable strat team at H+Co.’

Lilian will join a C-suite which also includes chief creative officer Gavin Chimes (who was promoted to the role last August), chief media officer Sasha Smith, and chief experience officer Nicole Flinton Ferraro.

Her appointment caps off a rapid six months of growth for Howatson+Company. In January, LBB revealed the agency won Myer’s creative and production accounts. Late last year, the independent also launched sister business Plus Also Studios, an AI-enabled production company.