KATHRYN FITZWILLIAM

As a professional search consultant with an industry leading process, I can help you find the ideal agency for your business and help get better value from your agency.

Client Experience

Managing the client-agency relationship can be challenging. I have lived this from both the client and agency sides. I am one of the few performance management consultants who has sat in both chairs: as an agency executive responsible for client satisfaction and new business,  and as a client executive who was responsible for agency search, fee negotiation and performance management. I bring a balanced perspective to clients looking to optimize their agency relationships.  

Kathryn’s clients include: Food and Consumer Products of Canada, McCain Foods, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Loblaw.

Agency Experience

As a marketing leader, I have been responsible for agency selection and relationship management.
At Kraft Canada, I was a member of the Executive Team and Vice President, Consumer Communication, responsible for all Marketing Communication services. I restructured the agency roster, revised agreements, searched for new agencies, negotiated agency compensation and introduced a new performance appraisal and bonus payment system.
As the first-ever Vice President of Marketing Resources and a member of the Management Team at Maple Leaf Foods, I standardized marketing and agency relationships across the company. I led searches and negotiated new relationships for a variety of disciplines, including media, promotions, packaging, consumer research, consumer response, digital marketing and product innovation.
I understand client priorities and pressures. I can help translate client goals into workable agency agreements.

My experience in the agency world has spanned media agencies, creative agencies and full-service agencies. I’ve been Director of Client Services and Executive Vice President responsible for growth and agency profitability.
In my agency career, I led teams who pitched and won client business. I have responded to countless RFPs, made 100 pitch presentations and negotiated dozens of contracts.
Now, I help clients understand how agencies work and how to motivate their teams.

Kathryn is a member of the Sinai Health Marketing Advisory Board, a marketing leadership mentor for the AMA, and teaches post-graduate marketing courses at Centennial College.

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