Rethink Appoints Mike Dubrick Chief Creative Officer, North America

Independent creative agency Rethink has announced the promotion of Mike Dubrick to chief creative officer, North America, expanding his leadership across the agency's Toronto, New York, Vancouver, and Montreal offices. He previously served as CCO of Toronto.

The appointment comes as Rethink continues to strengthen its position as one of the industry's leading independent agencies, following a year of creative and business success, including being named Cannes Lions' Independent Agency of the Year and Independent Network of the Year. As the agency has expanded into a multi-specialist organisation spanning advertising, PR, design and more, its leadership structure is growing to support that broader vision. The transition marks the first phase of ongoing succession planning within Rethink and its creative leadership.

“Mike is a rare leader who doesn't just create incredible work, he elevates the people around him. He has been a true partner in shaping Rethink, bringing a relentless fire to our work,” says Aaron Starkman, global CCO and partner. “Expanding his role across North America was the obvious decision. Whenever Mike is involved, the work gets better, client relationships get stronger, and results improve."

In his new role, Mike will oversee Rethink's advertising business across the region, helping shape the agency's creative vision, strengthening collaboration across offices, and continuing to deliver standout work for clients. Mike will partner with creative leadership in each office, including Tara Lawall, partner and CCO in New York, Leia Rogers and Don Shelford, partners and executive creative directors in Vancouver, and Xavier Blais, partner and executive creative director in Montreal.

Aaron will remain global CCO, focused on advancing Rethink’s global creative ambition, strengthening the agency’s brand and capabilities, and helping bring the distinctive work created across the network to the world.

“Rethink has always been built on the promise to our people and partners that if you come here, you'll do the best work of your career,” says Mike. “Our goal is to create a body of creative work that changes the industry. Having the opportunity to help make that a reality for our teams across North America is incredibly exciting. We have an incredible group of people who are relentless in their pursuit of great work. My focus is simply to create the conditions that allow those ambitions to thrive.”

Mike joined Rethink in 2012 and has spent more than a decade helping transform the indie into one of the world's leading creative agencies and establishing the Toronto office as a global creative powerhouse and destination for top creative talent. Since being named CCO of Rethink Toronto in 2022, he has led one of the industry's most consistently awarded creative departments, producing breakthrough work for clients including Kraft Heinz, IKEA, Molson Coors, and Scotiabank. Under his creative leadership, the agency has earned top honours from Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Clios, Immortal Awards, and more, helping cement Rethink's position among the world's most awarded independent agencies.

This year, Rethink took home 14 Cannes Lions, including a Grand Prix for Heinz’s global 'Look Familiar' campaign, which points out that French fry boxes globally tend to be the same shape as Heinz’s Keystone logo.