Aaron Starkman, Xanthe Wells and Greg Hahn joins The One Club Board of Directors

New Delhi: The One Club for Creativity has announced the addition of three creative leaders to its Board of Directors.

Elected by a membership vote to serve two-year terms are Aaron Starkman, global chief creative officer at Rethink in Toronto, and Xanthe Wells, vice-president, global creative at Pinterest in San Francisco. Returning to the Board for a second time is Greg Hahn, co-founder and chief creative officer at Mischief USA in Brooklyn.

Board members provide guidance on professional development, education, and diversity initiatives, connect the organisation with advertising and design schools, and nominate creatives to serve on juries for The One Show and ADC Annual Awards.

"We’re often defined by which side of the industry we come from, but The One Club demonstrates that true progress is only possible when we stand on the side of creativity,” said Wells. 

“I hope my role on the Board helps further blur the lines between brand-side and agency-side, inspiring us all to lead this era of technological transformation with a unified voice, championing diversity, equity, inclusion and integrity at every turn."

“As a student, The One Show annual was my gold standard, I studied those pages on the subway, dreaming of one day making it in,” Starkman said. “To now be invited onto The One Club Board, made up of so many people I admire, is an honour beyond anything I could have imagined. The One Club has always stood for creativity, community, and integrity and I’m thrilled to be part of it.”

“I’m thrilled to be back with The One Club Board,” Hahn said. “The industry is going through such radical change at the moment. The One Club has always been a strong force in leading and guiding the industry through changes. There's never been a more exciting and important moment to be part of the conversation.”

The new members succeed Kaite Allen, global head of marketing communications at Airbnb; Philippe Meunier, co-founder and chief creative officer at Sid Lee; and Leslie Sims, former chief marketing and creative officer at Impossible Foods, who completed their terms.

Kevin Swanepoel, chief executive officer of The One Club, acknowledged the contributions of outgoing members. “On behalf of the club, I want to thank Leslie and Philippe for their decade of service to the Board, always pushing us in the right direction and keeping us focused on supporting the creative community,” he said. 

“We wish Katie well in her new top marketing position at Airbnb, which made it difficult for her to continue on the Board. We’re excited that Xanthe, Aaron and Greg have accepted their new positions, and look forward to their insights and input to move the club forward.”

He also noted Meunier’s long-standing involvement. “Philippe was a driving force behind ADC’s success, and played an important role in making the merger a success,” Swanepoel said, referring to the Art Directors Club’s 2017 merger with The One Club to form The One Club for Creativity. “The One Club owes a great deal to his vision and hard work.”