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Wray Ward strengthens executive leadership team. August 13, 2026 agency news. Wray Ward. Wray Ward has strengthened its executive leadership team with the addition of two accomplished marketing leaders whose experience expands the agency's capabilities across integrated media and brand planning. Jenn Grabenstetter (right) joins the agency as executive director, brand planning, and Jenn Hausman (left) serves as executive director, integrated media. Together, they bring decades of experience helping organizations navigate increasingly complex marketing, media and customer experience challenges. The appointments reflect Wray Ward's continued investment in senior leadership and integrated expertise as the agency continues to evolve alongside the needs of clients in the home and building industry. "We've never believed that great client work is created by one discipline or one leader. It's created by bringing together experienced people with different perspectives who challenge one another and work toward a common outcome. That's exactly what Jenn Hausman and Jenn Grabenstetter bring to Wray Ward. Their expertise strengthens our leadership team and, ultimately, strengthens what we're able to deliver for our clients," said John Roberts, CEO and chief creative officer of Wray Ward. Grabenstetter joins Wray Ward following executive leadership roles with Slalom, Sealed Air and Gartner (formerly CEB). Her background spans customer experience, digital transformation, brand strategy and executive communications, helping organizations connect business strategy with marketing performance. Hausman brings more than two decades of integrated media leadership experience, having held senior leadership positions with Broadhead, HMH, BooneOakley and Corder Philips. Throughout her career, she has led strategic media planning and investment across traditional, digital and emerging channels for regional and national brands. As executive director of brand planning, Grabenstetter partners across disciplines to help clients align business strategy, customer experience and integrated marketing. Hausman leads the agency's media practice, helping clients maximize performance across paid, owned and earned channels. Together, these appointments reinforce Wray Ward's continued investment in experienced leadership and integrated capabilities, ensuring clients have access to senior strategic partners as they navigate an increasingly dynamic marketplace.

Atos Amplify appoints Joost Paalvast as partner in financial services practice. 05 August 2026 Consultancy.nl Atos Amplify, the business and technology consulting arm of Atos, has strengthened its partner team with the arrival of Joost Paalvast. Paalvast brings more than 25 years of experience in the consulting sector to Atos Amplify. Throughout his career, he has guided organizations through complex end-to-end digital transformations, developing their strategy and concepts and translating them into concrete solutions, operating models, and sustainable anchoring in daily business operations. He has broad expertise in digital strategy, business design, business alignment, operations, technology, data, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on the financial sector. He has guided banks and insurers in the Netherlands, Europe, and Australia in realizing their digital transformation ambitions. "As financial institutions accelerate their transformation agendas, AI, data, and digital innovation are becoming increasingly important for strengthening their agility, growth, and strategic autonomy," states Paalvast. "At Atos Amplify, I look forward to helping clients turn these ambitions into business value by bringing together technology, people, and business objectives, thereby achieving practical and sustainable change." Because the financial sector is among the leaders in AI adoption, an important part of his work will consist of advising organizations on their AI strategy and how they can maximize returns on their AI investments. According to Paalvast, successful use of AI requires an integrated approach with people at its center. "AI changes the rules of the game, but success ultimately still revolves around people. Technology creates opportunities; organizations create value." Paalvast makes the switch from Gartner, where he was Managing Partner for the Dutch organization. Previously, he worked for more than five years at Capgemini Invent and its subsidiary frog. Earlier, he spent fifteen years at the consulting arm of Cognizant. Atos founded Atos Amplify earlier this year to bring all business and technology consulting activities under one brand. The organization has approximately 800 consultants spread across Europe, with the Netherlands as one of its key core markets.

Gartner shares rose 7.5% after the research and advisory company reported second-quarter results that exceeded expectations and raised its full-year guidance. The company posted adjusted earnings of $4.37 per share, up 23.8% year-over-year. Revenue totalled $1.7 billion, with adjusted revenue increasing 2.8% despite a 0.6% decline in reported revenue. Foreign exchange-neutral contract value reached $5.3 billion, up 1.7% from the prior year. Free cash flow grew 8.9% to $378 million. Gartner repurchased 3.6 million shares for $547 million during the quarter, and its board approved an additional $500 million for share buybacks in July 2026. Conference revenue led segment growth, rising 15.5% to $244 million. Chairman and CEO Gene Hall noted that contract value growth accelerated again, with key metrics surpassing expectations.