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Greenville, SC — Dec 5, 2025 — The Brand Leader announced today that Michael Catanzaro has joined the agency as President & Chief Brand Officer, a key leadership role that will guide the agency’s next era of strategic & creative excellence and digital-first growth.
This leadership move comes during a pivotal year for The Brand Leader, marked by expanded digital leadership, new strategic client offerings, and a renewed focus on integrating AI, data, and brand storytelling into a unified creative ecosystem.
With more than two decades of experience leading creative teams, building brands, and integrating digital and AI-enabled work across channels, Catanzaro will oversee The Brand Leader’s brand, creative, and strategic direction as it continues to evolve and expand as a strategy-led, digitally-powered brand agency where consumer, creative, and performance meet.
Catanzaro’s background includes over sixteen years at a single agency, where he rose to client and brand leadership, leading major brands like ASICS (over 10 years, winning multiple awards including Cannes and Pencil), Petco, Boston Scientific, Elevate Financial, MoneyGram, Adidas, Disney, Marvel, Monster Energy, and others. He then moved client-side as Global Head of Brand and Creative at MoneyGram where he built and led a full in-house agency from scratch, serving multiple business units, driven by world-class talent and AI-innovation. He retained his former agency working with MoneyGram, a testament to the trust and long-term relationships he has forged.
“Michael is the kind of leader who elevates both the work and the people who create it,” said Geoff Wasserman, CEO and Founder of The Brand Leader. “He brings a rare blend of steady creative brilliance, deep digital and AI fluency, and the kind of humility and warmth that makes teams better. As The Brand Leader continues strengthening our strategy-led, digitally-powered approach, he is the right leader for this next chapter.”
As part of this transition, Executive Creative Director and President Kyle Duford will be transitioning out of his role by year’s end. The Brand Leader expresses sincere gratitude for his contributions to the agency’s creative evolution and the work produced during his six-year tenure. He will support a smooth and healthy transition through the remainder of the year.
Creative teams, client partnerships, and daily operations will continue without interruption. Catanzaro assumes the President & Chief Brand Officer role immediately, while Kyle supports a thoughtful transition through year-end.
“This is a healthy and intentional step forward,” said Wasserman. “Our clients remain in exceptional hands and will benefit from even deeper leadership strength and digital-first creative expertise in the years ahead.”
“Stepping into this role is an opportunity to deepen what The Brand Leader has always stood for: helping brands find their way,” says Catanzaro. “Geoff and the team have built something meaningful, and I’m committed to elevating it—refocusing our craft, strengthening our people, and setting a new bar for the impact we create with our clients.”
About The Brand Leader
Founded in 1999, The Brand Leader is a strategy-led, digitally-powered brand agency where consumer, creative, and performance meet, specializing in strategy, branding, creative, web development, and digital marketing. Headquartered in Greenville, SC, with offices in New York and staff across the U.S., TBL partners with brands of all sizes to build emotional connections and unforgettable experiences. Today, the agency is expanding its capabilities into AI-driven performance optimization, helping brands interpret and harness artificial intelligence to achieve greater impact.
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