Execs: MediaCom Adds Digital Director; R/GA Launches Practices

MediaCom U.S. Taps Hinz as New Managing Partner, Digital Director. Jeffrey Hinz is the new head of the MediaCom’s U.S. digital services. He is responsible for managing all the agency’s digital operations and new media initiatives, including display, video, SEO, SEM, mobile, social and emerging media.

R/GA Adds Data Visualization and Live Events Practices. The data visualization offering will be led by Andy Clark, executive creative director, New York, who has been with the R/GA for ten years. R/GA has also hired data scientist Dr. Tye Rattenbury, formely of Intel, to develop the strategy for the data visualization team. R/GA Live Events will be led by Brian Schultz, group account director, New York. His team includes executive producer Gabe Banner, as well as members with expertise across a variety of media channels, including creative, public relations and promotion, marketing, and production.

R/GA notes, “the importance of data has hit critical mass in the digital age and a live event is the most tactile brand experience an agency can create, and therefore represents a unique opportunity to create more meaningful conversations and brand connections.”

Martin Nisenholtz Replaces About.com’s Chief Executive. Nisenholtz, SVP for digital operations at the New York Times, has taken over former CEO Cella Irvine’s position at About.com. In note to About Group staff yesterday, Nisenholtz said his “goal is to build on this incredible About franchise, leveraging the hundreds of passionate, independent guides and the collective intellect of the many talented employees within the business unit.” The leadership change comes as About.com struggles to deliver traffic in the face of rising competition in informational content and a punishing Google algorithm change.

Cake Group Expand in New York With Three Hires.Stacy Fuller, former account director for R/GA, was named group account director, responsible for strategic planning and execution across Cake’s client base. Julianna Young and Rob Blasko were appointed to strategy and events roles respectively.