About me
Kenneth Hein, Global Chief Communications Officer, gyro, is an award-winning executive with extensive marketing, media relations and editorial expertise. He successfully elevated gyro from an independent start-up to the Advertising Age Agency of the Year and now the B2B specialist agency within the Dentsu Aegis Network.
At gyro, he oversees marketing, public relations, event participation and internal communications across 17 global offices.
Hein joined gyro from J. Walter Thompson where he built the PR department in its New York headquarters office from the ground up.
Previously, he spent 15 years as an editor covering marketing and advertising at Adweek, Brandweek and other top publications.
He is the recipient of the Ad Club 2017 President’s Award, a D&AD Pencil, the Jesse H. Neal Award for Excellence in Journalism, as well as numerous other accolades. He has also served on the New York Festivals Public and Media Relations Grand Jury for the past two years. Hein lives in New York with his wife and two children.
Sector Experience
My Work
SEE ALL WORKPositions
Global Chief Communications Officer
gyro
New York, United States
2011 - Present (13 years 11 months)
Create effective global strategic communications platforms as well as deliver impactful business results through media relations, marketing partnerships, events, content programs, social media and internal communications across 17 global offices. Member of on gyro Global Leadership Front, U.S. Board and Dentsu Aegis Network Global Communications team.
• Craft C-suite talking points, speeches and thought leadership. Experienced media coach for executives of all levels.
• Promote leadership and top clients in the press and via social-media channels. Coverage includes: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Contagious, Adweek, Forbes, USA Today, Huffington Post and Mashable.
• Negotiate and execute creative partnership deals, with partners including Forbes, Fortune and others, which generate new business while spurring organic growth.
• Culture builder who nurtures our powerful UNO culture across all offices via creative internal communications messages, broadcasts and contests.
• Orchestrate speaking appearances at top conferences including SXSW, Cannes, Advertising Week, Social Media Week and Fortune Brainstorm:Tech.
• Liaise with industry associations, clubs and other influential organizations to raise the agency’s profile.
• Craft C-suite talking points, speeches and thought leadership. Experienced media coach for executives of all levels.
• Promote leadership and top clients in the press and via social-media channels. Coverage includes: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Contagious, Adweek, Forbes, USA Today, Huffington Post and Mashable.
• Negotiate and execute creative partnership deals, with partners including Forbes, Fortune and others, which generate new business while spurring organic growth.
• Culture builder who nurtures our powerful UNO culture across all offices via creative internal communications messages, broadcasts and contests.
• Orchestrate speaking appearances at top conferences including SXSW, Cannes, Advertising Week, Social Media Week and Fortune Brainstorm:Tech.
• Liaise with industry associations, clubs and other influential organizations to raise the agency’s profile.
Director of Communications
New York, United States
January 2010 - November 2011 (1 year 10 months)
Led North American external and internal communications. Sat on J. Walter Thompson New York Board as well as the Global Public Relations Council.
• Built JWT NY communications department from the ground up.
• Worked closely with clients including Diageo, Macy’s, Johnson & Johnson and Kraft to promote new campaigns and raise the visibility of their marketing leaders. This included the selection of Smirnoff as Adweek Brand Genius.
• Regularly placed work, executive leadership, agency acquisitions and thought leadership items in the press.
• Launched and managed JWT New York's social media platforms: Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.
• Partnered with Social Media Week to put on 19 sessions in five days, which brought 3,000 attendees to JWT’s headquarters office. Curated five panels and a keynote presentation.
• Placed executive leadership on the boards of the Ad Council, 4A's and other top organizations.
• Quarterbacked internal communications for the headquarters office and North America.
• Produced internal events including executive Town Halls, client-events, lunch and learns, talent shows and appearances by guest speakers.
• Built JWT NY communications department from the ground up.
• Worked closely with clients including Diageo, Macy’s, Johnson & Johnson and Kraft to promote new campaigns and raise the visibility of their marketing leaders. This included the selection of Smirnoff as Adweek Brand Genius.
• Regularly placed work, executive leadership, agency acquisitions and thought leadership items in the press.
• Launched and managed JWT New York's social media platforms: Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.
• Partnered with Social Media Week to put on 19 sessions in five days, which brought 3,000 attendees to JWT’s headquarters office. Curated five panels and a keynote presentation.
• Placed executive leadership on the boards of the Ad Council, 4A's and other top organizations.
• Quarterbacked internal communications for the headquarters office and North America.
• Produced internal events including executive Town Halls, client-events, lunch and learns, talent shows and appearances by guest speakers.
Managing Editor
Nielsen Business Media (Adweek, Brandweek, The Hollywood Reporter & Billboard)
United States
October 2008 - December 2009 (1 year 2 months)
Coordinated work flow across 30-plus titles including Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek, The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard as well as their respective digital properties.
• Authored and edited articles for a variety of company titles, including bylines in Adweek, Brandweek, The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. Select items were picked up by Reuters.
• Created new ad-supported marketing channels including the award-winning “March Adness” campaign and shopper, Hispanic and direct marketing newsletters.
• Coordinated story budgets, employee work plans, staff lists and other essential information that helped the staff maximize editorial resources.
• Teamed with design division to improve look of digital and print products.
Monitored analytics to determine which content needed follow-up items. Amplified via social channels.
• Promoted from Managing Editor of Adweek Media Group based on my success merging the content of all three AdweekMedia Group sites and magazines. In that role: Assigned and edited stories for Adweek, Brandweek and Mediaweek’s staff of 40 to populate three news sites, three magazines, more than a dozen e-mail newsletters, two blogs and an array of social media properties.
• Authored and edited articles for a variety of company titles, including bylines in Adweek, Brandweek, The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. Select items were picked up by Reuters.
• Created new ad-supported marketing channels including the award-winning “March Adness” campaign and shopper, Hispanic and direct marketing newsletters.
• Coordinated story budgets, employee work plans, staff lists and other essential information that helped the staff maximize editorial resources.
• Teamed with design division to improve look of digital and print products.
Monitored analytics to determine which content needed follow-up items. Amplified via social channels.
• Promoted from Managing Editor of Adweek Media Group based on my success merging the content of all three AdweekMedia Group sites and magazines. In that role: Assigned and edited stories for Adweek, Brandweek and Mediaweek’s staff of 40 to populate three news sites, three magazines, more than a dozen e-mail newsletters, two blogs and an array of social media properties.
Covered the advertising, marketing and media industry as it evolved into the digital age.
• Managed Brandweek staff and its digital properties. Broke marketing and advertising-related stories on a daily basis. Edited raw copy.
• Helped spearhead the Brandweek.com revamp and introduce the digital marketing and sustainability e-mail newsletters.
• Created one of the first mobile marketing blog's Snackablecontent.com. Co-created the Brandfreak marketing blog.
• Aided events department by moderating panels and recruiting A-List speakers. Helmed industry conferences including Nielsen’s “Marketing to Men.”
• Regularly appeared on TV and radio as a marketing expert as well as quoted in the press and marketing books.
• Managed Brandweek staff and its digital properties. Broke marketing and advertising-related stories on a daily basis. Edited raw copy.
• Helped spearhead the Brandweek.com revamp and introduce the digital marketing and sustainability e-mail newsletters.
• Created one of the first mobile marketing blog's Snackablecontent.com. Co-created the Brandfreak marketing blog.
• Aided events department by moderating panels and recruiting A-List speakers. Helmed industry conferences including Nielsen’s “Marketing to Men.”
• Regularly appeared on TV and radio as a marketing expert as well as quoted in the press and marketing books.
Education
BA in Creative Writing (Minored in General Business Administration)
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