XD Agency Announces Leadership Appointments, Choosing Independence in an Era of Industry Consolidation

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--XD Agency (XDA), an independent experiential and creative agency trusted by global brands including LEGO, Lowe’s, and CrowdStrike, today announced three strategic leadership appointments that mark a defining milestone in the agency’s evolution.

At the center of these announcements is the appointment of Anna Mader as XDA’s first-ever Chief Creative Officer, alongside the promotion of Jessica Weickert to Senior Vice President, Strategy and Lauren Rickles joining the agency as Senior Vice President, Production.

Together, these leadership moves reflect XDA’s conviction that the most effective agencies of the future will not be defined by scale alone, but by the strength of their thinking, the caliber of their talent, and the courage of their creativity.

Doubling Down on Creativity

The creation of the Chief Creative Officer role represents a pivotal moment for XDA. As CCO, Anna Mader is responsible for defining and driving the agency’s creative vision, elevating the caliber of its work, and shaping the XDA brand across client engagements, culture, and new business.

Under Mader’s leadership, XDA is pushing toward a more fearless kind of creativity – work that takes risks, moves people emotionally, and gives brands a clear edge.

“At their best, experiences create belief,” said Mader. “They don’t just connect people to brands – they have the power to shift culture, shape identities, and move people in lasting ways. That’s the standard we’re building toward. Work that doesn’t just show up in the world, but moves it forward.”

Mader’s appointment reflects XDA’s continued investment in creative leadership as a growth engine, strengthening the agency’s ability to attract ambitious brands, drive new business, and deliver standout work at scale. “XDA isn’t pursuing growth for growth’s sake, we’re building the kind of agency the future demands,” said Mader.

Strategy That Blends Science and Humanity

Jessica Weickert has been promoted to SVP, Strategy, recognizing her integral role in shaping XDA’s strategic approach and point of view.

Weickert is known for blending neuroscience, human behavior, and cultural insight to create strategies that feel both deeply human and highly effective – giving XDA a distinctive edge in how it helps brands strike both an emotional and cultural nerve with audiences.

“Jessica’s leadership has helped redefine how we think,” said Mader. “She has an incredible ability to blend science with the soul, creating strategies that don’t just inspire creative, but have the power to take our stories to entirely new stratospheres.”

Elevating Production Excellence

Joining the executive leadership team, Lauren Rickles has been named SVP, Production. Rickles brings deep experience in content, broadcast, and live production from leading organizations including NBCUniversal, HubSpot, and Informa – and will oversee XDA’s production practices across experiential, digital, and integrated campaigns.

Her focus: raising the bar on execution, scalability, and operational excellence – ensuring that XDA’s creative ambition is matched by flawless execution and delivery.

“Lauren brings strength, clarity, and serious business acumen to XDA,” said Matt Schrader, Chief Growth Officer. “She levels up how the agency thinks, operates, and grows – grounding bold ambition in smart, disciplined decision-making.”

A Defining Moment for an Independent Agency

As the agency landscape accelerates toward consolidation, XDA is making a deliberate choice: to build, not blend. Rather than chasing scale for its own sake, the agency is investing in the leadership, creativity, and strategic depth that set it apart – reinforcing independence not as a limitation, but as a catalyst for sharper thinking, closer partnerships, and more culture-shaping work.

“The future won’t be won by the biggest agencies – it will be shaped by the most intentional ones,” said Schrader. “XDA is built to help brands disrupt categories, not follow them. Our independence gives us the agility to evolve in real time and the discipline to deliver outsized impact.”

With creativity at its core and a strengthened leadership bench, XDA enters its next chapter positioned as a modern, independent agency built to create work that resonates, performs, and endures.

About XD Agency

XD Agency (xdagency.com) is an award-winning creative agency, recently recognized by Ad Age as Experiential Agency of the Year and Best Places to Work. Bred from production chops, XD Agency creates badass experiences for brands that want to redefine industries and rewrite the rules. With hubs in New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, Portland, and Los Angeles, XD Agency has teams strategically positioned across the U.S. and beyond, dedicated to creating better – experiences, stories, relationships, worlds – everydamnday. Current clients include LEGO, Crowdstrike, Lowe’s, Lucid, Warner Media, Bank of America, and Fiserv, among others.