Essence promotes Claire Grinton

GroupM agency Essence has appointed Claire Grinton to the newly created position of SVP, head of experience, EMEA.

Grinton has worked for the agency since 2014 across a number of roles, most recently as VP, global head of experience strategy. Prior to this she held strategist positions at US creative agencies including Mekanism, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, and FCB.

Based in London, Grinton will now be responsible for unifying Essence’s media, creative, content and partnerships teams in EMEA with strategy, and will report into Garrick Schmitt, EVP, global director of experience design.

“Claire’s experience working across creative, communications, and strategy globally makes her the perfect person to knit these three disciplines together,” Schmitt said. “I’m delighted to have her lead our EMEA Experience team.”

News of the promotion follows the appointment of Kyoko Matsushita as Essence’s global CEO, succeeding Christian Juhl.

The agency has offices worldwide, with clients including Google, BT, L’Oréal, Nando’s and the Financial Times.