American Haiku Hires Former Droga5 MD Jessica Kingsbery as First-Ever CEO

New York-based independent creative agency American Haiku has named Jessica Kingsbery as its first-ever chief executive officer.

After eight-and-a-half years at Droga5 NY, where she was most recently managing director, Jessica joins the company to lead its strategic direction, business development, and operational performance.

This move reunites the CEO with founder and CCO, Thom Glover, who was previously a creative director and then ECD at Droga5 NY before starting American Haiku in 2024. Since then, the new indie has created work for the likes of New Balance, JP Morgan Chase and Yahoo, and been awarded Ad Age’s 2025 Newcomer Agency of the Year.

In addition to Jessica, American Haiku has also brought another talent across from Droga5, creative director Ted Meyer. Both he and Jessica have begun their new roles immediately.

Speaking with LBB, Jessica says she is thrilled to be leading “an insanely talented group of people” at a pivotal moment for the industry. “Our team’s creativity, ambition, and way of working position us to thrive. For us, it’s all about combining innovation, agility, and bold ideas that deliver real impact for our clients and partners.”

Taking on this newly created role also marks a personal milestone for Jessica – her first time as a CEO – and she believes the timing for this new challenge couldn’t be better. “It’s a great match for where American Haiku is right now,” she says. “There’s an energy and ambition within the team that mirrors my own — we’re building toward the future with fresh perspective and big ambition.”

^{Above: 'Grey Days' for New Balance}

This career development comes after 15 years of leadership primarily on the account management side of the business, working across agencies like Havas, DDB and Grey. It’s these core people skills – “understanding what motivates clients, building trust and rallying teams to deliver great work” – that she says will translate directly into success at American Haiku.

“As CEO, my role is to keep the big picture front and centre, to listen deeply, and to create alignment so our people can thrive and our clients feel the full value of our partnership. It’s about relationships, communication, and always keeping the work at the centre — all things my account background has prepared me well for.”

She adds, “I want to be the kind of leader who creates the conditions for people (our own team and our clients) to do their best work — where creativity can thrive, collaboration is celebrated, and bold ideas move forward. I’ve been inspired by leaders who put people and culture first, who understand that the best work comes from teams that feel empowered and supported. That’s the kind of environment I want to build here.”

While Jessica’s experience at some of the biggest mainstays of US marketing did teach her about ‘the importance of craft, strategic rigour and client relationships’, she also notes that she witnessed over the years how scale sometimes caused creativity to lag behind the pace of culture. As such, she is excited to bring her skill set to a fresh and nimble independent agency.

“What excites me about American Haiku is the chance to take those lessons and apply them in an environment that’s more agile, entrepreneurial and unafraid to take risks. Being independent means we can move quickly, collaborate deeply with our clients, and shape work that feels bold and culture-defining. That combination — the discipline of a big agency with the freedom of an indie — is what makes this such an exciting moment for me and the rest of our team.”

^{Above: 'Travel Changed Me'  for Away}

In the short term, Jessica shares that her focus will be on continuing the agency’s momentum, strengthening client partnerships and growing the business sustainably with work that ‘punches above its weight’. Not to mention her personal goals – to grow as a leader and create a culture that enables people to do their best work. “If I can help make this agency a place where creativity thrives,” she says, “where our people feel proud and inspired, and where our clients feel the true value of our partnership - then I’ll feel I’ve done my job well.

“Longer term, I want American Haiku to be seen as a creative force that helps define where this industry is going," she adds, "an indie shop that clients and talent alike seek out because of the work, the ambition and the way it feels to partner with us.”