Edelman names Valdes U.S. Head of Edelman Data and Intelligence

Edelman has named Anita Valdes U.S. head of Edelman Data and Intelligence (Edelman DXI). Reporting to Yannis Kotziagkiaouridis, global chief data and AI officer, Valdes will lead the cross-disciplinary Edelman DXI U.S. team and oversee data strategies for the firm’s largest and fastest-growing U.S. clients. She will play a key role in Edelman’s global market research, advanced analytics and performance marketing capabilities, driving the infusion of data and AI as core to Edelman’s value proposition. Valdes will serve as a member of Edelman DXI’s global leadership and the Edelman US operating committee.

“Over the past year, we have made a conscious effort to make data and AI the connective tissue across our Edelman teams to unlock richer and more impactful insights for our clients,” said Kotziagkiaouridis. “This has enabled cross functional collaboration and rapid innovation, positioning our clients and the organizations they serve to better anticipate change and navigate today’s complex environment. I am thrilled to welcome Anita to lead this team.”

Valdes joins Edelman DXI from Red Fuse Communications, a WPP entity working in service of Colgate-Palmolive, where she led a large, diversified insights and media team. Previously, she held various posts at Ogilvy, Kantar, and GroupM.

“Due to increased polarization and a wide call for leadership on social issues, our clients increasingly demand data-driven strategies that can give them the confidence to speak and act,” said Edelman U.S. CEO Lisa Osborne Ross. “We’re thrilled to have Anita on board, and confident in her track record of helping leading brands navigate that complexity with the latest technological innovations.”

Valdes’ expertise spans research, advertising, and media, with a particular focus on CPG. Over the course of her career, she has led data and insights strategy for Mondelez, Kraft Foods, Unilever, P&G, and AB InBev in addition to Colgate-Palmolive. Edelman DXI’s continued growth reflects Edelman’s strategic focus on using data and intelligence to drive empathetic, transparent, and action-based communications. Valdes joins fellow WPP alums Karima Zmerli and Stuart Pennant in bolstering the firm’s capabilities in this space.