Magic Appoints New Leadership to Drive Global Expansion in London and Los Angeles

Leading digital marketing and advertising independent, Magic, announces the appointment of a new senior leadership team to lead the agency’s global expansion in the US and UK. 

Fotini Choutou joins Magic in the newly created role of head of performance (Northern Hemisphere) and Jonathan Renteria steps into the newly created role of group account director, Magic LA, leading Magic’s Alchemy expansion in the US.

Jordan Taylor-Bartels, CEO, Magic, said the success of Magic’s rapid expansion into global markets depends on having exceptional talent on the ground and he was confident he had found that talent in both Choutou and Renteria.  

Taylor-Bartels said: "Fotini brings incredible biddable experience across large-scale global clients further complementing our mathematics and statistics methodology in Alchemy. Adding to this, Jonathan’s skillset adds outstanding data-driven and media-science thinking to our global offering, which will be key to our growth in the US and the UK.

"I am confident their combined wealth of experience and innovative approach to mathematic and data-led marketing solutions will greatly contribute to Magic's continued success and expansion on the global stage,” Taylor-Bartels concluded.

Previously, global performance director, Biddable at Mindshare, Choutou brings a wealth of experience to her new role having worked across prominent global accounts including Colgate-Palmolive, Tiffany & Co, NFL, and United Airlines. In her new position, she will spearhead Magic's expansion into the Northern Hemisphere based in the agency’s new London offices.

Formerly Sony Pictures Entertainment director of growth, Renteria's impressive background includes a start in propulsion at NASA in Los Angeles, followed by a rapid rise through the ranks of data-driven media philosophies in LA. He is perfectly positioned to drive Magic's innovative Alchemy approach in the US and beyond, from Magic’s LA base.

On her new appointment Choutou said: "Magic is filling an end-to-end void that the market desperately needs," with Renteria adding: "Magic has spent years finessing its engineering approach to problems, and with the support of in-house mathematicians and data scientists, we are able to ask and solve new questions and problems for marketing teams of all shapes and sizes."

A native-born Brit and American respectively, Choutou and Renteria’s appointments are effective immediately.