Michael Nyman’s Acceleration Community of Companies Grows Leadership Ranks With Major Hires Patrick Lafferty and Kristena Hatcher
Lafferty, former president of mcgarrybowen, takes COO title at ACC’s operating group leading all acquired businesses; Hatcher, formerly at Creative Artists Agency, will lead talent management, recruitment and culture
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Michael Nyman, founder and CEO of Acceleration Community of Companies (ACC) today officially announced the hiring of agency veteran Patrick Lafferty and talent executive and DEI advocate Kristena Hatcher.
ACC, founded in late summer of 2018, is composed of acquired marketing, media and communications agencies and complemented by an advisory service. The focus is to develop a new go-to market business approach with a series of strategic and complementary acquisitions and build-outs, aimed at providing a unique collective of specialized agencies, designed to help clients move quickly and efficiently with branding, marketing and media decisions.
Lafferty will be the chief operating officer for ACC and lead the network’s operating group, Business Performance Partners (BPP). He will be responsible for managing the business units and supporting their financial, operational and business support needs. Lafferty comes from the marketing agency mcgarrybowen, where he led the 700-person U.S. team. In 2019, under Lafferty’s watch, mcgarrybowen was named by Ad Age among its “Best Places to Work” and was an “Agency A-List” honoree. Previously, Lafferty was the President of independent agency Translation, which was recognized as an Ad Age “Standout Agency of the Year.” He also served as CEO of BBH North America and global managing director at McCann North America.
Hatcher takes on the role of vice president at ACC in charge of People and Culture. She will oversee all human resources operations for ACC and partner with ACC agencies to ensure best-in-class talent management. Before joining ACC, Hatcher spent six years at Creative Artists Agency, where she led Talent Acquisition for the film, television and foundation departments, prior to establishing and leading the Inclusion and Diversity function within the Human Resources department. Hatcher also served as an executive recruiter and human resources generalist for the search firm Morgan Samuels. She is a member of the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program’s Advisory Board.
ACC’s CEO Nyman said, “I am thrilled to have such talented executives as Pat and Kristena share in and advance our belief that there is a better way to build community, and, at the same time, provide our clients with the most effective marketing, media and communications services at a time when status quo won’t do.”
“After years of leading creative agencies, I am excited to bring this brand perspective and business-building experience to the new model of ACC,” said Lafferty. “We’re at a different time in marketing; our clients have never needed partnership and transformative ideas more than they do now.”
“It’s clear that the most successful companies embrace the differences of their employees through the consistent and intentional pursuit of removing systemic barriers to inclusion, ensuring the organization’s ability to support and leverage the collective genius of each individual,” said Hatcher. “I look forward to partnering with our growing community of companies as we seek to ensure the sustainability of these efforts.”
In addition to leading all acquired businesses, Lafferty will also help directly lead ACC’s brand experience creative shop, MKG, with the departure of the agency’s president, Tracy Bussan, who will be moving on to a new opportunity. He will work closely with the MKG leadership team, including Lauren Austin, Executive Creative Director; Christine Capone, Managing Director; Laura Gavin, President, MKG West; and Maggie Hightower, Finance Director, to support MKG clients like Target, Google and Delta.
About ACC
With ACC, Nyman is developing a new go-to market business approach with a series of strategic and complementary acquisitions, including MKG, a leading creative agency specializing in brand experiences and Pink Sparrow, a design and fabrication shop specializing in experiential environments. Additionally, ACC has a Brand Advisory unit, a consultancy aimed at providing clients a central point for integration and customization.
Acceleration is creating a unique community of specialized firms helping clients move quickly and efficiently with their branding, marketing and media decisions and action. Between ACC Advisory and its current business portfolio, clients and projects include a mix and range of Fortune 500 as well as direct-to-consumer brands, from Pepsi, Google, Lululemon, Bank of America, Facebook, Sephora, Disney-ABC, Dolby and T-Mobile, FashionNova, Jet Edge and iWi, a new algae-based Omega supplement.
Contacts
Press
For ACC
Mark Pasetsky
Mark Allen & Co.
212.243.8543
mark@markallenco.com