Vast experience combined with a youthful enthusiasm for trying something new. And that’s just David.
Here you can read all about our motley crew at ais New York. We think we’ve created the perfect team for the modern agency, but we’re much too modest to make such a claim.
Josh Sacks
evp, general manager
Josh Sacks is responsible for client services and general administration of the agency. Josh has been leading digital development teams since 1996. During the span of his career he’s been fortunate enough to work with a host of top companies, helping them to navigate the digital world and, in many cases, create ground breaking digital programs. Notable clients include Hilton, Qwest Communications, Citi, Travelers, John Hancock, Nestle, Unilever, Dole and AT&T. A recognized thought leader in the industry, Josh’s most recent accomplishments include leading the team that developed the first ever iAd for Apple’s iOS platform, helping Hampton Inn drive annual online bookings over $640MM and heading up the team that redesigned Dove’s global web presence. Although he claims his actual greatest achievement has been significantly improving the standard of coffee at ais New York. A graduate of Skidmore College with a degree in Political Science, Josh is the consummate diplomat, except when he’s working on his rather “challenged” Golf game, where the concept of détente goes out the window.
David Shavrick
executive creative director
As an early pioneer of digital advertising and interactive media, David Shavrick’s reputation speaks for itself. But just in case your first language isn’t binary, here’s a brief download of an award-winning career that has spanned more than two decades. Early on, he joined the innovative digital agency, Modem Media, going on to lead the 75-person creative department in the first and subsequent waves of dotcoms for Citibank, Kodak, IBM, GM, GE, and Delta to name a few. After nearly 10 years with Modem, David went on to run a group at Ogilvy, where his team produced highly recognized work for SAP, Wyeth and Motorola. More recently he built a digital practice at Ryan partnership, an agency that wrote the book on packaged goods marketing, CRM and shopper behavior. And for the past year David ran his own creative consultancy called Wit+Mind. Highlights included writing business plans for start-ups, improving the user flow of iPhone apps, launching a new daily deal site and producing AXA’s first iPad app. David is a recognized expert in information architecture and brand strategy and has presented at many industry conferences. He brings a passion and depth of knowledge of the marketing space combined with a keen understanding of what motivates today’s digital consumer.
Kristian Foy
associate creative director
Kristian is a veteran of archibald ingall stretton… at the tender-ish age of his early-30s.
After graduating from the UK’s first integrated advertising course, Kristian started his career at Partners Andrews Aldridge. During his first years at this hotshop he created award-winning campaigns for Harley Davidson, Lexus, and The Guardian, across a diverse range of media that spanned print, outdoor, direct, digital and ambient. This resulted in him being recognized as a Campaign Face To Watch in 2001.
In 2003, Kristian was snapped up by AIS London, where he immediately created a successful launch campaign for BMW’s 1 Series and breakthrough work for Skoda and Barnardos. During the last 8 years he’s worked tirelessly on O2, helping to transform them from a fifth-in-market telco to number one. Recently he has created a number of digital firsts for the London office, including O2 Stare Out, the world’s first commercial game to use a webcam and O2 3D Rugby, Europe’s biggest-ever live 3D sports event.
Kristian’s work has been recognized by D&AD, Cannes and he’s a double DMA Grand Prix winner. He’s more passionate than ever about where the industry is headed. His off-the-clock creative activities include running a free Best Man speech writing service and a new playing card venture.
Anthony Nicols
director of operations
Anthony is responsible for overall project management, technical evaluations, day-to-day processes in the agency and usually the music.
Before arriving from AIS London, Anthony headed up digital production on O2, the agency’s largest account and the number one telco in the UK. This role included the delivery and management of O2s vast sponsorship portal, O2priority.co.uk. In the years prior to this, he was part of the new business team instrumental in delivering award-winning digital ideas for new clients including Expedia, Captial FM and Skoda.
Previously, Anthony worked at AOL where he helped to lead the charge for national Broadband access. Specifically, he managed large-scale infrastructure and marketing rollouts to successfully secure AOL as the leading broadband supplier in the UK.
In the even earlier days of digital, whilst at British Telecom, Anthony developed software to help get people online, albeit very s-l-o-w-l-y in those days.
Today, Anthony has a toolkit of methodologies and approaches he uses to ensure that everything he or his team delivers are of a high standard, delivered on time and on budget, including Prince2, and SCRUM. Whatever that means.
