MDC Partners Expands Strategic Resources Group to Further Fuel Network's Rapid Growth

Addition of Claudia Caplan and Zihla Salinas Strengthens Agency Partners' Continued Growth and Development Efforts

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Jan 30, 2014, 05:05 ET

NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- MDC Partners announced today that it has bolstered its corporate team with the hire of two senior-level executives, each bringing new and complementary skills to its growing Strategic Resources Group. Claudia Caplan has been hired as SVP, Business Development, and Zihla Salinas as SVP, Business Strategy and Development. Both will report to Bob Kantor, MDC Partners Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer. The two leaders will leverage their extensive industry experience to develop partnerships with existing and prospective clients, build on network collaboration, and create new opportunities to support MDC partner agencies' continued growth.

"Following our partners' unprecedented growth in 2013, we have only deepened our commitment to the MDC modern marketing model of custom integrated solutions, and to further investing in the advanced analytics resources we bring to clients," said MDC Partners Chairman and CEO, Miles Nadal. "We are thrilled to build upon our agencies' continued success, in part by adding to their strategic firepower with MDC shared resources. With complementary marketer-side, creative, digital, analytics, and data strategy experience, Claudia and Zihla will be tremendous assets to our agency partners in 2014 and beyond."

Caplan brings to the new role both client-side marketing and award-winning creative experience, a unique complement to her expertise in business development. Most recently, Caplan served as Chief Marketing Officer of the RP3 Agency, and prior to that, held CMO roles at David & Goliath, and Mendelsohn Zien Advertising. With over 20 years of experience, Caplan has also served as a consultant to Fox Digital Entertainment, and earlier in her career, as VP, Brand Marketing for EarthLink, the third-largest internet service provider in the US.

"I've admired MDC's agencies for years," said Caplan. "So this is an amazing opportunity to join forces with agencies that truly do the best work in the world. They have proven to be difference makers for so many clients and I'm thrilled to carry that story forward for prospective clients looking for better return on their marketing investment."

Salinas brings a unique range of expertise in all areas of digitally-driven marketing and data analytics to her new role of SVP, Business Strategy and Development, drawing on hands-on experience in CRM, digital, social, loyalty, SEO/SEM, mobile and cross-channel analytics. Salinas joins MDC Partners after four years at RAPP, where she most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer, leading business development, corporate branding and client strategy on multi-channel CRM and digital initiatives. In addition to her time at RAPP, Salinas has held senior strategy and business development roles at companies including Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Genex and O'Grady Meyers.

"I'm excited to be joining the MDC network at a time when, as an industry, we are only just beginning to unlock the potential of data-driven marketing," said Salinas. "The creative firepower and client portfolio of the MDC agencies, paired with an intelligent and provocative approach to customer engagement, is truly a force to reckoned with. It's invigorating to be on the forefront of this evolution."

"In recent years, we have greatly enhanced our nimble model of partner collaboration, and with the addition of Claudia and Zihla, we're substantially adding to the strategic skill-sets and capabilities we bring to our client partners each and every day," said Kantor. "Both are accomplished executives and have proven track records of driving measurable business results, as well as deep experience in leading comprehensive strategic initiatives and managing multi-disciplinary teams within global organizations. They are a perfect complement to the current skillsets in our group, and the ideal people to continue driving growth and momentum."

About MDC Partners Inc.

MDC Partners is one of the world's largest Business Transformation Organizations that utilizes technology, marketing communications, data analytics, insights and strategic consulting solutions to drive meaningful returns on Marketing and Communications Investments for multinational clients in the United States, Canada, and worldwide.

MDC Partners' durable competitive advantage is to Empower the Most Talented Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders to Drive Business Success to new levels of Achievement, for both our Clients and our Shareholders, reinforcing MDC Partners' reputation as "The Place Where Great Talent Lives."

MDC Partners' Class A shares are publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "MDCA" and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MDZ.A".