Michael Stone to Serve as Chairman

November 2, 2015, New York, NY., - Leading global brand extension agency, Beanstalk, today announced the appointment of Allison Ames as Chief Executive Officer, effective November 1, 2015. Ames will retain her current position as President while assuming the title of CEO.  She succeeds Co-Founder and CEO, Michael Stone, who will assume the position of Chairman.

In her new role, Ames will oversee the strategic direction of the global agency and lead its growth efforts with an eye toward providing the most effective and comprehensive expertise on strategic brand extensions for its clients around the world.  She will continue to manage all operations of the agency, worldwide.

“It has been a privilege to serve as CEO of Beanstalk for the past ten years, following the acquisition of the agency by Omnicom.  I am extremely proud of the entire team and our achievements,” said Stone. “This agency is the embodiment of creativity, tenacity and success and I look forward to helping it continue to flourish under Allison’s leadership.”

Ames has worked alongside Stone for almost two decades and they have created and developed some of the agency’s most successful licensing programs.

Speaking to the Ames appointment Stone said, “For nearly twenty years, I have had the good fortune of knowing and working with Allison. We have been partners in establishing Beanstalk as a pre-eminent agency. Allison is one of the most talented brand licensing executives in the industry and has a vision and passion for leading that I am confident will take Beanstalk and its clients to new heights."  Stone noted that Ames’ deep industry knowledge and steadfast leadership make her a uniquely qualified chief executive to drive Beanstalk into the future.

Ames began her career at Beanstalk in 1997 and has led licensing initiatives for diverse brands such as HGTV, Stanley Black & Decker, Purina, Airheads, the U.S. Army, Mary-Kate and Ashley, Salma Hayek and Danskin, among other key clients. She also re-introduced the Manufacturer Representation division of the agency, leading projects for key clients such as ConAgra, among others.  Prior to her role as President, Ames was President, North America, in which she was responsible for all clients operating in the North American region, and oversaw Beanstalk’s Business Development and Marketing departments.

"I am extremely honored to take the helm as CEO,” said Ames. “I am proud to call Michael a mentor and a colleague. Over the past 18 years, I have not only learned from Michael’s successful experience and accomplishments in the licensing world but we have worked together to shape the agency into the culture it is today. Beanstalk is synonymous with strategic brand extension through licensing -- a testament to the vision and expertise that Michael brought to bear on behalf of the agency and the impact he has had on the entire industry.”

Ames added, “Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with so many incredible brands. I’ve witnessed firsthand just how powerful brand extension can be in enhancing brand value and adding new consumer touch points and impressions, which have resulted in meaningful revenue opportunities for our clients.  There are many exciting initiatives in the near future for Beanstalk and I look forward to working with our extremely talented staff to continue to build our services and capabilities around the world.”

Ames holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business & Marketing from George Washington University and an M.B.A. in International Business from Hofstra University.

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand extension agency, works closely with our clients to unlock brand equity and create many of the world’s most recognizable products and services.  We help leading brands, celebrities, media properties, manufacturers and retailers creatively find ways to strengthen their relationship with their most important stakeholder – the consumer.

Beanstalk offers a breadth of services including brand representation, manufacturer representation, retailer partnerships, creative services, approvals management, legal and financial services, and royalty auditing.  Blueprint – Powered by Beanstalk, our consulting division, advises clients through four key practice areas: brand extension + retail development, research + insights, design + identity, and operations + governance. Tinderbox, our digital division, works with gaming and new media properties to realize their potential in the world of consumer products.

The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Miami, and Cincinnati, and affiliates throughout the world.  For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is part of the DAS Group of Companies.

About the DAS Group of Companies

The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.