R/GA Appointed Sadie Thoma as Chief Business Officer
The former Google director joins R/GA to lead the commercial rollout of new AI product innovations.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Advertising
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R/GA has named Sadie Thoma as its new Global Chief Business Officer to oversee the firm’s commercialization of AI product offerings. Thoma arrives at the agency following a 15-year career at Google.
Why it matters
The appointment aims to bridge the gap between technical AI development and tangible market impact for R/GA clients. Thoma is tasked with scaling the agency’s artificial intelligence capabilities, specifically through product packaging and pricing strategies.
Sadie Thoma brings 15 years of experience from her tenure at Google to her new role as Global Chief Business Officer at R/GA. She will specifically oversee the pricing and commercialization strategy for the agency's new AI product suite.
The players
Sadie Thoma
She is the newly appointed Global Chief Business Officer at R/GA and a former director of U.S. ad marketing at Google.
Robin Forbes
He serves as the Global CEO of R/GA and will act as the direct supervisor for the newly appointed Chief Business Officer.
R/GA
This global advertising agency specializes in digital innovation and creative technology solutions for major brands.
The details
Thoma will focus on the BRDNA Sequencer, an AI tool that enables creative teams to train agents using established design systems, guidelines, and previous creative assets. She reports directly to Global CEO Robin Forbes as part of the agency's push to standardize AI-driven creative workflows.
Timeline
September 22, 2026: Sadie Thoma officially assumed her new position.
Market Landscape
The appointment of a dedicated commercial lead for the BRDNA Sequencer highlights a broader industry shift toward internalizing generative AI development. This move positions R/GA to compete more effectively against specialized AI-first consultancies by wrapping experimental tech in corporate-ready service models.
Clients of R/GA can expect more structured pricing models and service tiers as the agency formalizes its AI product offerings. This transition may simplify how companies procure and implement proprietary creative agents in their own marketing workflows.
The takeaway
The move underscores the growing necessity for agencies to hire leadership capable of translating technical AI potential into verifiable business value. It serves as a reminder that the future of agency work depends on operationalizing creative automation to meet client performance needs.
Further reading
For more news on shifts in the creative services sector, visit the /business/industry/advertising/ section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MediaPost.
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