VMLY&R Elevates Lisa Bridgers to Chief People Officer, North America

March 3, 2021

VMLY&R today announced the promotion of Lisa Bridgers as chief people officer, who will lead the ongoing development of the agency’s employee experience strategy in North America. Bridgers will oversee progressive human resources practices centered on a “people first” philosophy, inclusive management, and forward-thinking corporate practices, and support ongoing commitments for diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this role, Bridgers will work closely with leaders across the agency’s 18 North American offices. Bridgers will continue to report to Global Chief People Officer Ronnie Felder.

“People are at the heart of our agency. Nothing works in agencies, or in our industry, without talented, diverse people and the passion they bring every day,” Felder said. “We are living through a unique moment where we are completely rethinking the way we live and work. Lisa possesses an incredible ability to identify, nurture and develop talent, enabling VMLY&R to create the best work for our clients. I am genuinely delighted to promote Lisa as an accomplished business leader.”

With strong growth across North America in 2020, VMLY&R added almost 400 new employees to the agency, with over a third of new hires identifying as BIPOC. Bridgers and VMLY&R will continue to build momentum in the region following a streak of recent new business wins, including Sam’s Club AOR.

The employee experience team has seen further momentum in 2021, with the agency receiving a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality.

VMLY&R also implemented many new employee programming in 2020, such as:

• FLEX: a program encouraging staff to schedule time away from their screens and meeting-free time periods. 
• A recommitment to mental health and parental and caregiver programming.
• Additional Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): employee-led and company-funded social, cultural, and minority groups that help employees advocate for important causes, embrace differences, and foster an environment that enables employees to bring their whole selves to work.
• NeXus: a modified version of the agency’s successful internship program, it’s a virtual masterclass that includes regular seminars and matching participants with agency mentors.

As part of her role, Bridgers partners with The VMLY&R Foundation, an integral part of the agency’s DNA since day one. Through the VMLY&R Foundation, the agency provides a range of support to nonprofit organizations and worthy causes chosen by their employees.

“My biggest priority is to work alongside leaders who truly appreciate and value their people, which is something I see every day at VMY&R,” Bridgers said. “We’ve had an incredible year across our whole agency, and I’m excited to continue that momentum for our incredible people.”

Bridgers is a long-standing WPP employee who joined VMLY&R in 2017 following its merger with Rockfish. She previously served as regional director of employee experience.

Bridgers originally joined Rockfish as part of the talent acquisition team and spent the following years implementing progressive human resources practices building a people-first agency, which ultimately led to her appointment as chief people officer.

Prior to joining Rockfish, Bridgers held talent acquisition and human resources positions for more than two decades, including stints at Saatchi & Saatchi X and Robert Half International.  

She is the co-creator of the Women in the Workforce conference in Northwest Arkansas, and a member of the executive advisory committee for the Women’s Empowerment Center. In 2017, Bridgers was recognized with a C-Suite award from the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.

Bridgers holds a Bachelor’s degree in communications from Arkansas Tech University and is an active volunteer in her community.