Rethink Appointed Dustin Tomes Chief Creative Officer
The agency hired the former TBWA\Chiat\Day executive to strengthen creative operations across North American offices.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in People
Rethink has appointed Dustin Tomes as its new Chief Creative Officer. Tomes, who previously led the creative department at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, will now manage creative output across the agency's offices in Toronto, Vancouver, New York, and Montreal.
Why it matters
This leadership expansion highlights the agency's strategy to align its creative vision across international borders. By integrating new talent into its existing structure, Rethink aims to centralize creative governance for its global client roster.
The agency maintains operations across four offices in New York, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. The firm manages a client list that includes major accounts such as Kraft Heinz, Molson Coors, and IKEA.
The players
Dustin Tomes
The new Chief Creative Officer at Rethink who previously served as CCO at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York.
Mike Dubrick
The North American Chief Creative Officer at Rethink who manages regional creative strategy.
Tara Lawall
The Chief Creative Officer at Rethink responsible for the agency's New York portfolio.
Rethink
A creative agency with offices in Canada and the U.S. serving international brands like Kraft Heinz and IKEA.
The details
As Chief Creative Officer, Dustin Tomes will report directly to North American CCO Mike Dubrick. Tomes is tasked with collaborating across the Toronto and Vancouver offices to support both Canadian and global accounts. Meanwhile, Tara Lawall continues to oversee the New York portfolio as Chief Creative Officer, maintaining the firm's established regional reporting lines.
Timeline
September 23, 2026: The appointment was confirmed.
Market Landscape
This move follows the broader industry trend of agencies consolidating creative direction to maintain brand consistency across dispersed geographic offices. It highlights the competitive pressure to integrate global accounts through centralized leadership rather than siloed regional teams.
Operators should monitor whether this leadership change alters the agency's output consistency for their shared client accounts. Evaluating the impact of consolidated creative oversight on project turnaround times can help assess the effectiveness of the new reporting structure.
The takeaway
Centralizing creative leadership is a strategic move to unify brand output across multiple global hubs. Business leaders should track the integration of new C-suite hires to see if the realignment leads to faster project delivery or more cohesive cross-office campaigns.
Further reading
For more on industry staffing and leadership shifts, visit People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MediaPost.
