NOVUS is sharpening its data-first ambitions with a new executive hire. The independent media agency has named Krithika Rosenthal as Managing Director, Strategy & Integrated Outcomes—a newly created role designed to better connect planning, analytics, and execution across its client portfolio.
The move comes as agencies race to prove measurable impact in an increasingly automated, fragmented media landscape. For NOVUS, the bet is clear: tighter integration between strategy and outcomes isn’t just a differentiator—it’s table stakes.
Closing the Gap Between Insight and Execution
Rosenthal will oversee strategy across NOVUS’ accounts, with a mandate to align media planning, investment, data, and technology enablement. In practical terms, that means ensuring insights don’t just sit in dashboards—they drive real campaign decisions and business results.
She’ll report directly to CEO Libby Morgan and join the agency’s leadership team, signaling the strategic weight behind the hire.
A key focus: fixing what many marketers quietly struggle with—the disconnect between planning, activation, and measurement. By bringing those functions closer together, NOVUS aims to deliver more consistent and accountable outcomes for clients.
Why This Role Matters Now
The timing reflects a broader shift in the media and marketing ecosystem. As automation, AI-driven buying, and privacy changes reshape the industry, brands are demanding clearer ROI and faster feedback loops.
That’s pushing agencies to rethink how they operate internally. Silos between strategy, media buying, and analytics are increasingly seen as liabilities.
Rosenthal’s role is designed to address exactly that—bridging disciplines that have traditionally operated in parallel rather than in sync.
She’ll also lead efforts to expand how NOVUS uses data and emerging technologies across the media lifecycle, from early-stage insights to performance measurement. The goal: a more continuous, connected flow of intelligence.
A Background in Transformation
Rosenthal joins from Wavemaker, where she served as Group Director of Strategy, leading cross-channel planning and advising clients on complex marketing transformation initiatives. Her experience spans industries including pharmaceuticals, CPG, and logistics—sectors where precision and compliance often complicate marketing execution.
Earlier roles at EY Global Services, MRM Commerce, and Razorfish add a consulting layer to her profile, with work for major brands like Novo Nordisk, Diageo, Danone, Kraft Heinz, and UPS.
Her career has largely focused on what she describes as the “final mile” of the consumer journey—turning brand visibility into actual preference and conversion. That aligns neatly with NOVUS’ positioning around accountability and outcomes.
The Bigger Trend: Outcome-Driven Media
NOVUS’ latest hire underscores a wider industry evolution. Agencies are increasingly repositioning themselves not just as media buyers, but as integrated growth partners—blending data science, technology, and strategy.
Competitors across the landscape—from large holding companies to independent shops—are making similar moves, investing in analytics talent and AI capabilities to stay relevant.
But execution remains the sticking point. Many organizations still struggle to operationalize insights at speed, especially across fragmented channels and platforms.
That’s where roles like Rosenthal’s come in—less about generating insights, more about making them actionable.
What It Signals for Clients
For brands, the promise is straightforward: fewer disconnects, clearer performance metrics, and a more unified approach to media and marketing.
If NOVUS can deliver on that integration, it could strengthen its appeal among marketers looking to cut through complexity without sacrificing precision.
Rosenthal, for her part, frames the challenge in practical terms—helping brands not just show up, but become the preferred choice in a crowded, automated ecosystem.
That’s easier said than done. But as the industry shifts toward measurable outcomes, it’s exactly the kind of capability agencies are being judged on.
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