Brett is one of the best-known and most highly regarded creative thinkers and entrepreneurs in the advertising and communications industry. He began his career as an art director right out of college and at age 26, became the youngest creative director of a major agency at that time. In 1983, he set out on his own, forming his own agency which was later renamed Partners & Shevack and grew to over $300 million in billings before it was acquired in 1998. In 2002, Brett joined BBDO NY in the newly created position of Vice Chairman, Brand Initiatives. This was a unique role for which Brett was ideally suited and a position that was unprecedented in the industry. In this role, Brett was the architect of a proprietary innovation process called Brand Initiatives Generation – a breakthrough, collaborative process designed to help clients solve their most important brand and business challenges. In January 2009, building on his success at BBDO, Brett founded Brand Initiatives Group.

Kate is an entrepreneurial senior strategist with exceptional brand and business skills and a proven track record in driving profitable growth through innovative business and creative marketing solutions. She has extensive consumer marketing experience, having successfully introduced and built brands within the U.S. and across Europe for Reckitt-Benckiser. In her role as Marketing V.P. of the Food Division, she led the successful repositioning of the French’s portfolio and the revitalization of 80% of the division’s product portfolio during her three-year tenure. In 2006, she joined Timex as Chief Marketing Officer, where she was charged with developing a vision and a plan to reposition the Timex brand. Kate is a change agent with strong financial acumen, always conscious of the impact of decisions on the bottom line. She is dynamic in her approach, inspiring an organization to challenge its assumptions and to translate ideas into in-market success. In 2006, Kate was acknowledged as one of the leading women in marketing with the Advertising Age ‘Women to Watch’ award.

Kathy has over twenty years of advertising and marketing experience with some of the world’s best brands. She believes that collaboration and creativity can help brands overcome their most difficult marketing and business problems. Kathy comes to Brand Initiatives Group from BBDO NY, where she was Director, Brand Initiatives Group, working closely with Brett in developing the BIG process. She was responsible for developing and executing strategic and innovation projects for major clients. Previously, Kathy worked on BBDO NY’s Integrated Marketing Team developing integrated communications and strategies across brands, including the national launch of Cingular Wireless, which later became AT&T. She has also worked at McCann-Erickson and Grey Advertising and has extensive experience with major consumer packaged goods brands and new product development.