As marketing and communications agencies navigate a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by artificial intelligence, industry consolidation, and growing client expectations, financial leadership is becoming increasingly critical to sustainable growth. Against this backdrop, Highwire has appointed veteran agency finance executive Kelly Losko as Chief Financial Officer, signaling the firm's commitment to scaling its operations following a period of significant expansion.

Highwire has named Kelly Losko as its new Chief Financial Officer, reinforcing the agency's executive leadership team as it enters a new phase of growth fueled by acquisitions, AI innovation, and sector expansion.

The appointment comes during one of the most transformative periods in Highwire's history. Over the past year, the agency has expanded its capabilities through strategic acquisitions, launched new vertical-focused practices, and invested heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure aimed at modernizing marketing and communications workflows.

Losko brings more than two decades of financial leadership experience across some of the advertising and communications industry's most recognized organizations. Her background includes leadership roles at agencies operating within highly complex and rapidly evolving business environments, making her well-positioned to support Highwire's next stage of development.

Prior to joining Highwire, Losko served as Global CFO at Forsman & Bodenfors' New York operations and held the position of CFO, North America at OLIVER Agency. She also spent nearly a decade at mcgarrybowen, where she served in senior finance leadership positions, including Divisional Controller and Managing Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. Earlier in her career, she held financial leadership roles at GroupM.

The appointment highlights a broader trend across the agency sector, where firms are increasingly prioritizing operational efficiency, financial discipline, and scalable infrastructure as they adapt to evolving client demands. Marketing agencies today are managing more complex service portfolios that combine public relations, digital marketing, content strategy, analytics, performance marketing, and AI-powered solutions.

For Highwire, strengthening financial leadership is particularly important given the pace of its recent growth.

A major milestone came in early 2026 when Highwire acquired The Bliss Group, expanding its footprint across financial services, professional services, healthcare, and life sciences. The acquisition significantly broadened the firm's industry expertise while increasing its workforce to more than 250 professionals across North America.

The combined organization now operates across six primary practice areas: B2B Technology, Cybersecurity, Health, Financial Services, Professional Services, and Energy. These sectors represent some of the most complex and highly regulated industries, where organizations increasingly require strategic communications partners capable of combining deep subject matter expertise with sophisticated digital capabilities.

Beyond acquisitions, Highwire has also accelerated investment in healthcare communications. The launch of Highwire Health created a dedicated practice designed to serve organizations across life sciences, healthcare technology, medical innovation, and broader healthcare markets. The move reflects growing demand for specialized communications support as healthcare organizations navigate technological disruption, regulatory change, and increased competition.

Perhaps most notably, Highwire has positioned artificial intelligence as a central pillar of its growth strategy.

Earlier this year, the agency introduced AcroAI, a proprietary agentic AI platform developed to support marketing, communications, and media workflows. Unlike standalone AI tools that focus on individual tasks, AcroAI is designed to function as an integrated operating layer across the agency's processes, helping teams accelerate audience intelligence, content development, media strategy, performance analysis, and campaign execution.

The platform reflects a growing trend among agencies seeking to embed AI directly into operational infrastructure rather than treating it solely as a productivity tool. According to research from Gartner, generative AI and agentic AI technologies are expected to significantly reshape marketing operations, campaign management, and customer engagement strategies over the coming years.

Industry analysts at Forrester have similarly noted that agencies are increasingly investing in proprietary AI capabilities to differentiate their services and improve client outcomes.

Highwire's approach appears focused on enhancing strategic decision-making rather than replacing human expertise. The company positions AcroAI as a platform that supports senior-level judgment through faster access to insights, improved analytics, and streamlined workflows.

As agencies face mounting pressure to deliver measurable business impact while managing increasingly complex client requirements, investments in AI infrastructure and operational scalability are becoming key competitive differentiators.

The addition of Losko suggests Highwire is preparing for continued expansion. Her experience managing financial operations across large agency organizations will likely play an important role as the company integrates acquisitions, expands sector practices, and invests further in AI-powered capabilities.

For the broader marketing and communications industry, the appointment underscores a larger shift occurring across agencies of all sizes. Growth today is no longer driven solely by creative excellence or media relationships. Increasingly, success depends on the ability to combine industry expertise, advanced technology, operational efficiency, and financial discipline into a scalable business model.

As consolidation accelerates and AI continues reshaping agency operations, firms that successfully balance innovation with sustainable growth strategies are likely to emerge as leaders in the next generation of marketing and communications services.

Market Landscape

The marketing and communications industry is undergoing significant transformation driven by artificial intelligence, agency consolidation, evolving buyer expectations, and increased demand for specialized expertise. Agencies are increasingly investing in proprietary AI platforms, vertical-focused practices, and operational infrastructure to remain competitive.

At the same time, acquisitions continue to reshape the market as firms seek broader service capabilities and deeper industry expertise. Healthcare, cybersecurity, financial services, and B2B technology remain among the fastest-growing sectors for strategic communications and integrated marketing services.

Top Insights

• Highwire has appointed Kelly Losko as Chief Financial Officer to support its next phase of growth and operational expansion.
• The appointment follows Highwire's acquisition of The Bliss Group, significantly expanding its industry expertise and workforce.
• Highwire has strengthened its healthcare capabilities through the launch of Highwire Health.
• The agency recently introduced AcroAI, a proprietary agentic AI platform designed to enhance marketing and communications workflows.
• Financial leadership is becoming increasingly important as agencies scale operations, integrate acquisitions, and invest in AI-driven infrastructure

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