OvareGroup adds two senior technology roles: Chief Information Technology Officer and Chief Data Officer

Industry veterans Suzie Smibert and Brandi LaFontaine will lead OvareGroup technology initiatives internally and externally

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – The OvareGroup, a Los Angeles-based media and marketing communications holding company, today appointed Suzie Smibert Executive Vice President and Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) and Brandi LaFontaine Chief Data Officer (CDO). Both will work from the OvareGroup’s Vancouver office.

OvareGroup Chairman and CEO Jordan F. Reber said the two newly-created roles will provide strategic IT leadership and direction and deliver technology solutions that will continue to drive innovation and operational excellence throughout the organization. “In today’s competitive marketplace, companies need their marketing and technology efforts fully aligned,” Reber said. “The addition of these two roles will allow us to improve capabilities across all of the OvareGroup business units, as well as support the growing cyber security and technology needs of our clients, while adding two very talented executives to our management team.”

Smibert was formerly the Chief Information Security Officer and Global Director of enterprise architecture for Finning International (TSX: FTT), where she oversaw the company’s information security and enterprise architecture strategy for its global operations. Previously, she was the global head of information security for Agrium (now Nutrien). Smibert’s recent accomplishments include recognition as the Most Impactful CISO voted by her peers at the global CISO summit in 2019, and CISO of the year, enterprise category 2019, by ISACA.

“Technology is often referred to as a back-office function that operates behind the scenes and provides little value,” noted Smibert. “We’re about to turn that notion on its head. In 2021, we’ll begin our transformation to a high-performing team focused on service quality, business enablement, exceptional end-user experience and monetization of technology services.”

​Reporting to Smibert, Brandi LaFontaine will serve as Chief Data Officer responsible for defining a data roadmap and analytics strategy, developing data procedures and policies, implementing a data governance framework, and overseeing a data warehousing and business intelligence. She will be partnering with the business to drive value from data assets and ensure that the business effectively leverages data and advanced analytics to achieve results and efficiencies. LaFontaine has more than a decade of expertise in revenue management, analytics and strategy from positions with Benevity, Finning, Enmax and WestJet.

For more information

Contact: Kate Gray
502-214-2906
[email protected]