Draftfcb Names Cynthia Augustine as Chief Talent Officer

Augustine To Lead Human Resources Across the Draftfcb Network

Draftfcb announced today that Cynthia “Cindy” Augustine has been appointed EVP, Global Chief Talent Officer of Draftfcb, responsible for leading all aspects of human resources, including recruiting, talent development, benefits and compensation, as well as diversity and inclusion programs for the agency’s global network.

Based out of the agency’s New York headquarters, Augustine will officially join the agency Wednesday, November 2, reporting directly to Draftfcb CEO and President Laurence Boschetto. She succeeds Beverly Popielarz, who was named SVP, Global Director of Talent for Draftfcb’s parent company, Interpublic Group, in August.

“Cindy’s impressive resume speaks for itself,” said Laurence Boschetto, CEO and President of Draftfcb. “But what you don’t see on her resume is the deep conviction behind her words or the passion in her eyes when she talks about working with employees to better an organization. Her smile is infectious, and I know her commitment and high energy will help us continue to raise the bar for excellence across the entire Draftfcb network.”

Augustine is joining Draftfcb from Scholastic Inc., where she had served as the SVP of Human Resources and employee services since 2007, overseeing all human resource, staffing, compensation and benefits, and human resource information systems for the publishing company.

Augustine’s career in human resources dates back to 1998, during which time she served as SVP, Human Resources for The New York Times Company. In this role, her responsibilities included organizational development, diversity, compensation and benefits and employee relations. In 2000, her role within the organization expanded as she added the role of president of The New York Times Company Broadcast Group.

She then took on a new challenge in 2004, joining Time Warner as SVP of Talent Management, overseeing executive and staff development, global recruitment and executive search, and diversity programs.

“I am eager to begin the next chapter of my career with Draftfcb,” said Augustine. “It’s hard to ignore the vibe within the agency, and the passion of the people is contagious. I’m looking forward to working with my new colleagues to continue to show the ad industry and business community-at-large that Draftfcb is among the best places to work anywhere.”

Prior to her career in human resources, Augustine worked as a lawyer specializing in employment law, labor relations and employee benefits, first at The New York Times Company and later as a partner at Sabin, Bermant and Gould LLP. She earned her JD from Rutgers University Law School, and is currently a member of the New York and New Jersey bars.

Augustine has been recognized with a number of honors throughout her distinguished career, most recently being named one of Savoy’s 2010 “Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America.” She has also been named among “The 25 Most Influential Black Women Business Leaders” by The Network Journal (2004), Crain’s “The 100 Most Powerful Minority Business Leaders in New York” (2003) and listed on the “HR Honor Roll” by Human Resources Executive Magazine (2002).

She has also served in a variety of roles and functions outside of her professional career, including former president of the New York Chapter of National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAHR) and as a three-time judge for the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) Vision Awards, which honor original television programming that reflects the lives and spirit of people of color.

About Draftfcb
With its foundation based upon the equal principles of creativity and accountability, Draftfcb is the first global, fully integrated marketing communications agency to operate against a single P&L with one unified management team and no silos. The agency is driven by a singular focus on consumer behavior as expressed by its proprietary 6.5 Seconds That Matter operating system, which recognizes the brief period of time marketers have to capture consumers’ attention through creative executions that inspire them to act. The Draftfcb network spans 161 offices in 96 countries and employs approximately 9,000 people.

Primary Contact:
Joshua Dysart
(312) 425-6011
[email protected]