# Folklore taps Colle McVoy president as new CEO

> Obele Brown-West joins independent creative agency to navigate AI's impact on brand experiences.
- Title: Folklore taps Colle McVoy president as new CEO · Adweek
- Summary: Obele Brown-West joins independent creative agency to navigate AI's impact on brand experiences. Folklore's new CEO brings deep experience across digital…
- Keywords: folklore, obele brown-west, colle mcvoy, creative agencies, ceo hire, brand strategy, user experience, ai impact, digital transformation, independent agencies, lorenz esguerra, mike matheny
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/agencies/folklore-hires-colle-mcvoy-president-to-lead-agency-into-the-future
- Author: Christopher Cicchiello
- Published: 2026-09-21T11:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: folklore, obele brown-west, colle mcvoy, creative agencies, ceo hire, brand strategy, user experience, ai impact, digital transformation, independent agencies, lorenz esguerra, mike matheny
## Colle McVoy president joins Folklore
Obele Brown-West has stepped into the role of CEO and partner at independent creative agency Folklore, where she'll work with founder and COO Mike Matheny to shape the agency's future.
## Deep alignment on creative vision
Matheny knew Brown-West was the right fit when she reviewed his 300-page deck on Folklore's creative approach and added 200 pages of her own strategic thinking.

> The minute I started talking with her, I was like, 'This is not a surface level talk'
## AI is reshaping customer experience
Matheny says AI has created chaos on the client side as consumers increasingly use language models for buying decisions instead of visiting brand websites. Folklore aims to help clients navigate these new touchpoints.

> We're going to go and help people figure it out as we're figuring it out
## Strategy over flashy campaigns
Brown-West was drawn to Folklore's focus on understanding how brands show up across all channels, not just high-profile ads. She sees consumer insights as key to point-of-sale decisions and brand relationships.

> Consumer-understanding actually applies to how your consumer is thinking about point of sale
## Diverse career built this moment
Brown-West has worked at Weber Shandwick, Tinuiti, Tracer, and 360i. Her role at The Week magazine, where she built digital presence and monetization, proved most formative for leading Folklore.
## Esguerra moves to chairman role
Lorenz Esguerra, the mentor who recruited Brown-West, is transitioning from CEO to chairman at Folklore. Brown-West will now oversee day-to-day operations while maintaining the agency's strategic vision.
## Key takeaway

Folklore's new CEO brings deep experience across digital, strategy, and brand transformation to help clients adapt as AI reshapes how consumers discover and engage with brands.