Highdive Names Nimisha Jain Chief Strategy Officer

​Highdive, the independent creative agency behind iconic work for Jeep, State Farm, KFC, BetMGM and Jersey Mike’s, has appointed Nimisha Jain as chief strategy officer. Nimisha joins Highdive's leadership team from Mischief, where she served as EVP, strategy, bringing over two decades of brand strategy experience and a track record of delivering creative strategies and platforms that drive measurable business results.

The appointment marks a pivotal moment for Highdive as the agency continues to redefine what independent agencies can achieve. Nimisha will be based at the agency's Chicago headquarters, leading strategy across the full client roster while building a strategy practice designed to attract the industry's best talent.

"We're in the business of solving difficult business problems with creativity," said Nimisha. "It's about ideas that command attention, that make their way into culture, and ultimately move the needle on our clients' business. What drew me to Highdive was the people—Mark, Megan, and Chad have built a creative powerhouse. Their ambition is palpable. They're scaling with intention, adding iconic brands, expanding offices, and showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. As a proud Chicagoan, joining this leadership team to help write Highdive's next chapter, with strategy at the centre, was exactly the type of challenge I was craving."

During her four-plus years at Mischief, Nimisha helped architect some of the industry's most recognised and effective work, driving culture-cutting platforms for brands like Heinz, Peet's, Coors Light, and EOS. She also unlocked scaled growth across their MCBC and Kraft Heinz portfolios. Before Mischief, Nimisha helped build iconic brands at Leo Burnett Chicago, leading multidisciplinary teams across the Kellogg's portfolio.

Across her career, Nimisha’s work has been celebrated on the industry's most competitive stages—from Cannes Lions and Grand Clios to One Show Pencils and an Emmy nomination—paired with a haul of over 30 Effie Awards, including the prestigious Iridium Effie, demonstrating her obsession with results, not just reactions.

"With AI's rapid adoption and the noise level in marketing at an all-time high, strategy has never been more important," said Megan Lally, CEO and owner of Highdive. "There's a rigour in strategy—deciding what not to do is just as important as deciding what to do. It's our responsibility as partners to our CMOs and their teams to navigate those decisions. Nimisha brings that discipline, along with an incredible track record of creative effectiveness and an instinct for what makes brands culturally irresistible. Her appointment is a significant investment in Highdive's future as we continue to grow."

Nimisha’s appointment comes as Highdive continues its unprecedented growth trajectory. The agency is on track to achieve 33% year-over-year revenue growth in 2025—its ninth consecutive year of double-digit expansion—and was named 2025 Campaign US Independent Agency of the Year and to Ad Age’s A-List for the last two years. Recent creative highlights include State Farm's Emmy-nominated ‘Batman vs. Bateman,’ Lay's #2 Super Bowl Ad Meter spot ‘The Little Farmer.’ Additionally, Campaign US named Jeep's ‘Groundhog Day’ the Best American Ad of the 21st Century. Highdive expanded to New York earlier this year with the addition of executive creative directors Steven Fogel and Doug Fallon, and secured major client wins including a new partnership with Conagra brands, including Slim Jim.

"We're entering an inflection point as an industry. With AI making the average essentially free, the fundamentals of strategy have never mattered more," said Nimisha. "Clearly differentiating your brand, building long-term platforms that are scalable across any channel, and delivering ideas that are unmissable and unforgettable—that's where real business impact will live. I'm excited about expanding on Highdive's story, building on its momentum as a creative shop that changes the trajectory of brands."

Nimisha holds a master's degree in integrated marketing communications from MICA | The School of Ideas, India and a bachelor of commerce from Mumbai University.