Photo, from L to R: Paul Anastasiadis, Steph Lund, Andrea Nirsimloo, and Steve Martin
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Steph Lund has been appointed CEO of MSQ Sport + Entertainment North America, the latest in a series of senior hires from M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment now shaping MSQ’s global sport and entertainment offering.
Steph has reunited with Paul Anastasiadis and Andrea Nirsimloo – named managing partners when MSQ Sport + Entertainment launched its US offering in March – as well as agency founders Steve Martin and Jamie Wynne-Morgan, all of whom previously held senior roles at M&C.
Bringing over two decades of experience to the role, Steph most recently served as CEO at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment and previously held a senior role at The Fader / Cornerstone. She has been recognised as ‘Top CEO of the Year’ in the Ragan Communication Workplace Wellness Award and the PRNEWS Top Women Awards for two consecutive years.
“My career has been underpinned by the importance of agency specialism and expertise,” said Steph. “MSQ shares that passion, demonstrated by their global track record and continued investment into North America. This, along with my trusted relationship with Steve and Jamie, was a key attraction to joining.”
She adds that the vision for the agency is to quickly establish it as a “destination for specialist creativity” in the sport and entertainment space. “Through organic growth and smart, nimble acquisitions, we believe we have the capacity to quickly build this agency under a future-proofed, social-led proposition that centres on the contemporary ways consumers are engaging with the things they love,” she said.
MSQ Sport + Entertainment was founded in June 2024. Alongside its expansion in North America, the agency has also established a European presence with the launch of an Amsterdam office, led by Toan Ravenscroft.
“When we set out to build the agency globally only 10 months ago, we wanted a really strong team in the US market,” said founders Steve and Jamie. “We worked with Steph for over seven years in our previous agency and we are thrilled she has chosen to join the team at MSQ Sport + Entertainment alongside Paul and Andrea to drive our North America business.
“Together, the trio is a dynamic combination,” they add. “They will get momentum quickly and complement what we are doing in London and Amsterdam. It is Steph’s tenacity and drive in knowing how to run a high-performing agency, matched with her outstanding specialist experience that adds real value to clients and our people, that gives us great confidence we can build scale in the US. It is a real coup to have her on board.”
Since launching earlier this year, MSQ Sport + Entertainment North America has kicked off work with several new clients and is actively recruiting to expand its team across creative strategy, social activation and creator marketing.
The appointment follows a series of significant moves by MSQ North America, including the acquisition of creative agency SPCSHP and the hiring of McCann veteran Kate MacNevin as global CEO of Stein IAS and executive director of MSQ B2B. The group also acquired pan-European consumer experience agency UDG last year, adding 350 employees to its network and strengthening its global delivery capabilities.
