Kate MacNevin Named Global CEO of Stein IAS and Executive Chair of MSQ B2B

Next generation creative, tech and media company, MSQ, has brought on Kate MacNevin as Global CEO of Stein IAS and Executive Chair of MSQ B2B, leading all aspects of MSQ’s award-winning Stein IAS global business and building the group’s B2B offering across the globe. 

MacNevin will lead Stein IAS’s seasoned leadership team including, Chairman and Chief Brand Officer, Tom Stein, and Global President, Craig Duxbury and will report to MSQ’s Board and Executive Director, Kate Howe.  

MacNevin brings more than 30 years of experience across diverse verticals including 18 years with McCann Worldgroup where she rose through the ranks from leading on the agency’s Canadian General Motors business to becoming the Executive Director of Global Operations for Commonwealth//McCann. Most recently, she’s been leading MRM, McCann’s global direct and digital marketing agency, as Global Chairwoman and CEO. Under her leadership, MacNevin was credited with leading the agency to incredible growth, building its creative reputation and nurturing client relationships with brands like Chevrolet, Cigna, and the US Postal Service.  

“Attracting an agency leader with Kate’s track record is huge for us and a testament to the trajectory of MSQ and Stein IAS,” said Kate Howe, executive director at MSQ. “Her expertise in managing scaled global operations will be invaluable as we execute on MSQ’s ambitions to create agency hubs across the US, UK, mainland Europe and Asia. I’m thrilled that she has chosen to join MSQ and I look forward to working closely with her as we build out our B2B offering.” 

Recently, Stein IAS won an ARF David Ogilvy Award, the first in the agency’s history, for their work on Juniper Networks. Additionally, they also took home 6sense Breakthrough Awards Partner of the Year over global brands including LinkedIn and HubSpot.  

“MSQ stands out as an independent group that puts clients at the heart of everything it does. It’s entrepreneurial spirit, unique proposition, and collaboration between its agencies to deliver results attracted me to the position,” said MacNevin. “With this nimble model the group has created, the possibilities are endless. B2B is operating more and more with strategies from the D2C landscape and with the power and scale of MSQ, we can help clients move with the speed of their consumers, effectively, with no guardrails to hold us back.” 

At Cannes this year, Stein IAS together with WARC and LinkedIn launched the first-ever model that unifies the brand-to-demand experience (BDX). The BDX model, its principles and key strategies are detailed in-depth in the seminal report, Brand to Demand: Unlocking Sustainable Growth in B2B. Earlier this month, MSQ announced the acquisition of award-winning New York-based creative agency, SPCSHP, doubling the group’s presence in the US. Additionally, the group partnered with WARC to release their proprietary research whitepaper, Ritualized, a guide to help brands tap into the power of consumer behavior.  

About MSQ:   

MSQ is a next generation creative, technology and media company, helping create brand momentum.  It’s one of the world’s fastest growing marketing groups, offering flexibility, choice and transparency to clients. Clients include Unilever, Vodafone, Vitality, Diageo and Booking.com 

MSQ’s agencies incorporate SPCSHP (creative & content) Brave Spark (creative production studio), Elmwood (branding & design), Freemavens (research & insights), MMT (Web & Digital Product Development), Smarts (PR & creative), Miri Growth (mobile marketing), MSQ Sport + Entertainment (sport & entertainment marketing), Stein IAS (B2B marketing), The Gate (creative and CRM), Walk-In Media (full-service media) and, 26PMX (performance marketing), M3 Labs (end-to-end production) and 26DX (digital experience).  Clients can work with an MSQ agency on an individual basis, or with a joined-up team designed specifically around their needs.   

Over 1,500 people work at MSQ across 15 global offices. Unique to an international group of its scale and reach, more than 100 senior employees are shareholders in the group. In 2023 MSQ became a certified B Corp, meaning the group meets a number of social and environmental standards covering five key impact areas of governance, environment, workers, community and customers.   

About Stein IAS 

Stein IAS helps build the world’s most demanded B2B brands by unifying brand and demand—and strengthening each to the benefit of both. Through highly awarded creativity, B2B’s most advanced brand-to-demand model and full-funnel media capabilities, we drive differentiation, distinction and growth for clients worldwide.  

Stein IAS was named ANA B2 and Global ACE Agency of the Year in 2024 as well as 2023 and has been named ANA B2B Agency of the Year 12 times over the past 14 years. Stein IAS is the only B2B agency to have won WARC Awards for Effectiveness (Gold) across consecutive years. With ‘Learn for Your Life,’ one of our three core values, the agency also received an Investors in People Award in 2024 for our commitment to the advancement of our most precious resource, our people.