KBS hires new global chief talent officer

Advertising agency KBS has announced the appointment of Michele Prota as its global chief talent officer.

Prota will ensure that employee experience and culture are top priorities across the agency’s offices in the US, Canada, the UK and China and will be based in KBS’ New York headquarters partnering with global CEO, Guy Hayward, and the rest of the global and US based leadership team.

Prota will be tasked with rethinking and restructuring KBS’ approach to the employee experience, which will reimagine each touch point that existing and future employees experience with KBS. She will also manage the agency’s investment as it pertains to talent and her responsibilities will include elements such as KBS’ digital presence, physical space, and career development opportunities, among others.

“From the moment we met Michele, it was clear that she isn’t afraid to go against the status quo, and her vision for the type of initiatives a modern company needs to recruit and retain talent is very much in line with our thinking," said Hayward. "This hire signifies KBS’ genuine commitment to both our employees and our evolution and I look forward to the bold ideas and unconventional point of view that Michele will undoubtedly bring to the table."

Prior to joining KBS, Prota served as the head of talent at The Barbarian Group. She also oversaw Talent at JWT for groups both domestically and globally, and managed talent acquisition for the CFO division at Merrill Lynch.