DRIVERS
With offices in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and New York, our Drivers dig deep to create inspired connections and bring the best, most innovative solutions to your business, every single day.
Canadian Leadership
Emma Toth
President
Emma has focused her career on building brands through inventiveness, partnership, and a disciplined business mindset. During her seven years at TAXI working in three of the network's offices, Emma has led breakthrough strategy and creative platforms that change consumer perceptions. She takes pride in building great teams and culture, and she believes it translates into purposeful, award-winning work.
James Sadler
Executive Creative Director
James has been creating award-winning, results-driven work on both sides of the Atlantic for the past 15 years. In Amsterdam, he worked on global accounts, including Adidas, BMW, Omega Watches, Sony, and DHL. In 2011, James joined the TAXI team to work on TELUS. He moved to The&Partnership in 2014, where he continued to lead creative for TELUS before returning to TAXI in 2019.
Rafik Belmesk
VP Head of Strategy
For the past decade, Rafik has held strategic roles including brand, consumer engagement, and digital and social impact across two continents, helping clients from many industries with their business and communications needs. Rafik has an uncanny ability to get to the heart of a client’s issue in an instant, to present it with clarity, and to inspire refreshing ideas in those around him. He always challenges conventional ideas and proposes new avenues for creative work.
Frank Macera
Group Creative Director
Frank has been creating and leading strategic, effective, award-winning work at some of the top agencies in Canada for almost 15 years. His work has been recognized by effectiveness and creative award shows alike, including The One Show, Cannes, D&AD, Clio Awards, and the Effies. He joined TAXI in 2017. In his spare time, Frank has run marathons, learned to juggle and solve Rubik’s cubes, and written a bio that makes him sound much more interesting than he really is.
Alexis Caron Côté
Creative Director
Alexis is passionate about creative work – and he’s extremely curious and interested in everything about it. That new ad from that niche brand? He’s seen it. That up-and-coming stand-up’s new one-man show? He’s seen that too. Because of his talent and engaging personality, he's had the opportunity to write for TV and was even featured as a live commentator for the Olympic snowboard competition. Over the last 10 years, Alexis has gone from Bleublancrouge to Sid Lee and now onto to TAXI as creative director, creating campaigns that have left a lasting impression and won awards internationally as well as in Québec for brands such as IGA, Rona, Réno-Dépôt, and Loto-Québec.
Alexandre Béland
Creative Director
Alex is the perfect example of a self-made pro. He learns everything on his own and then masters it to perfection: photography, design, creating ad campaigns, home renovation, scuba diving, and even beer making. He’s a jack-of-all-trades, a sharp Swiss knife that applies his creative mind to all spheres of his life. Fortunately, he puts most of his energy into creative advertising. Over the last 10 years, Alex has gone from Bleublancrouge to Sid Lee and now onto to TAXI as creative director, creating campaigns that have left a lasting impression and won awards internationally as well as in Québec for brands such as IGA, Rona, Réno-Dépôt, and Loto-Québec.
Marie-Josée Bourque
Managing Director, Montreal
An experienced manager in the field of communications, Marie-Josée has been supervising TAXI's Montreal office since January 2021. She puts to good use her high standards and skills when developing a network of quality relationships based on respect, communication and tact. What motivates and drives her are creativity, innovation, art and people in the widest possible sense. In her spare time, you'll probably find Marie-Josée looking for the next restaurant where she'll bring her friends, and planning her next trip to Portugal.
Jackie Pearl
Managing Director, Vancouver
Jackie is a passionate, empathetic and proven business leader with over 13 years industry experience. She’s held leadership roles both client and agency side, and rejoined TAXI in 2022 as Managing Director of the Vancouver office. With an uncanny ability to think strategically, creatively, and operationally, Jackie continues to earn the trust and respect of her clients and colleagues alike.
USA LEADERSHIP
David Jenkins
President
David started his career in Australia before heading to Europe to “see the world”. In 2000, after 11 years in the UK he was transferred to the US with TBWA.In 2013, after time at TBWA, BBH and kbs+, David joined TAXI NY as President and was subsequently named Network President in 2018.
Damion Sammarco
Executive Creative Director
For the first 10 years of his career, Damion split his time between advertising and stand-up comedy – and, apparently, the advertising won out. He’s worked in a leadership capacity across categories and disciplines at kbs+ and Grey before joining TAXI as Executive Creative Director.
Mark Jacobson
Managing Director, Strategy and Insights
Building brands is second nature to MJ. As a talent/literary agent and studio executive, MJ worked closely with creators like Spike Jonze, Ellen DeGeneres, Nicholas Sparks – and even Thomas the Tank Engine – to connect their work with larger audiences. And he’s used those same skills to help marquee names like Lincoln, HP, Dreamworks, Lucky Strike, and Yahoo reach out and build their audiences.
Dominic Ferro
Executive Director, Integrated Production & Operations
With over 30 years in the advertising business working on the vendor, client, and agency side, Dominic’s goals continue to consist of integrating and creatively operating content, digital production and project management departments for companies. Having globally and domestically managed for agencies such as Lowe Worldwide, BBH, KBS+, and TAXI since 2013, he brings a unique ability to see the big picture with a creative and operational understanding rooted in the practical day to day execution on behalf of a diverse client base.
North American Leadership
Rob Guenette
CEO
Rob has worked on both the client and agency sides of the business. As a client, he was with Unilever for 14 years before moving to Molson Coors in 2000 as VP Brand and then later as VP Global Advertising Director. Rob joined TAXI Canada in 2004 and has been CEO since 2008. Under Rob’s leadership, TAXI has grown exponentially and was named Agency of the Decade in 2010
Christine Maw
President, Type1
Christine is innately curious about people and what motivates them and how culture shapes brands in a complex world. Never satisfied with the status quo, “Maw” is the restless type, always looking for new ways to help clients solve challenging problems in a rapidly changing landscape.
Matt Schoom-Kirsch
COO
Matt has developed a strong reputation for being a skilled, results-oriented agency leader on both sides of the Canada-US border. As Chief Operating Officer at TAXI, he has earned the trust and respect of clients and colleagues alike, approaching each problem with equal parts business savvy, creativity, curiosity, and contagious enthusiasm.
Andrew Packwood
CFO
Andrew brings a wealth of strategic and financial knowledge to TAXI. He started his career as a CPA in Sydney, Australia, where he gained both public and private practice experience before joining TAXI in 2008. He took financial leadership as CFO in 2012.
Scott Beffort
President of Signal / Canada Life Team Lead
Scott has built a reputation for creating strategic, positive change across the consulting, not-for-profit, government, and private sectors. Since joining in 2013, Scott has expanded TAXI’s offering through the launch of Signal.