Leading Content Studio Malka Elevates Leadership Team with three Seasoned C-Suite Appointments

Rhea-AI Summary

Malka, an adaptive content studio and subsidiary of fintech leader MoneyLion (NYSE: ML), has appointed Chris Apostle and Bill Davaris as co-CEOs and Paige McCrensky as its first Chief Brand Officer. The leadership change aims to enhance Malka's capability to produce dynamic content for modern brands. Since its acquisition by MoneyLion in 2021, Malka has significantly boosted MoneyLion's social media presence. Apostle and Davaris bring extensive experience from leading agencies and aim to convert insights into compelling narratives. McCrensky, with a strong background in marketing from Getty Images and Ogilvy, will focus on branding and strategic partnerships. Malka collaborates with major brands like Amazon and L'Oreal, emphasizing its expertise in content creation.

Positive

• Appointment of experienced industry veterans as co-CEOs and Chief Brand Officer.
• Enhanced leadership expected to strengthen Malka’s content creation capabilities.
• Significant boost in MoneyLion’s social media presence post-acquisition.
• Access to sophisticated data and technology infrastructure through MoneyLion.
• Plan to scale offerings to major marketplaces.
• CEO duo’s focus on converting insights into actionable, engaging narratives.
• Diverse portfolio with major global brands like Amazon, L'Oreal, and Citi.

Negative

• Potential challenges in integrating new leadership within existing frameworks.
• Risk of high expectations not translating to immediate business results.
• Increased operational costs due to new executive appointments.

Malka has combined top-tier storytelling, data and AI to power adaptive content engine for modern brands operating at the “speed of now”

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Leading adaptive content studio Malka has announced the appointment of ad industry veterans Chris Apostle and Bill Davaris as co-CEOs and Paige McCrensky as its first Chief Brand Officer. This significant leadership change enhances the studio’s ability to create dynamic content that resonates with brands and consumers in today’s fast-paced attention economy. As a subsidiary of fintech leader MoneyLion (NYSE: ML), Malka has access to sophisticated data and technology infrastructure which—when combined with its own content solutions—creates significant value for Malka’s clients.

Since its acquisition by MoneyLion in 2021, Malka has redefined the landscape of social storytelling, propelling MoneyLion to become one of the most followed fintech brands across social media platforms. MoneyLion is continuing its investment in its media business by hiring a series of top tier industry executives into the company. “Malka is already powering leading financial marketplaces with content that is engaging and driving results, and now, with this new leadership, we can scale our offering to every leading marketplace,” said Dee Choubey, Co-Founder and CEO of MoneyLion.

Apostle and Davaris bring their extensive experience as both brand and agency leaders with a common vision that “the best stories never wait.” The CEO duo will be focused on strengthening Malka’s distinct ability to take insights and turn them into content that is timely and relevant, meeting the needs of an ever-evolving marketing landscape that’s moving at the speed of commerce.

“It’s no secret that a modern marketing organization is sitting on a gold mine of insights,” Davaris said. “Our mission is to transform these insights into captivating, actionable narratives at lightning speed. Timely action not only captures the pulse of culture but propels innovation forward. Chris and I are so privileged to have two incredible things: a blue-chip client roster of brands who want to compete at the highest levels combined with a one-of-a-kind high performance storytelling machine built for speed and excellence in execution.”

Apostle brings a wealth of knowledge from his tenure at esteemed agencies and e-commerce accelerators like Spreetail and has held executive leadership positions at notable agencies including Havas, Ogilvy, R/GA and Razorfish, with over three decades of experience in advertising, client services and digital marketing.

Davaris, formerly Chief Marketing and Brand Officer at SharkNinja, was previously CMO at MoneyLion when the company acquired Malka in 2021. Before that, he spent 17 years at Ogilvy, rising to the level of executive creative director and senior partner. At Ogilvy, Davaris led RedWorks, the agency’s first global content division, which introduced Fanta to the U.S. market in 2002 and created the It’s in Your Nature brand for Cabela’s, growing the outdoor retailer’s sales by 20 percent in its first year.

In her role as Malka’s first Chief Brand Officer, McCrensky will oversee the studio’s branding, messaging and marketing endeavors, including cultivating strategic partnerships and driving new business development. She previously served as VP of marketing and brand communications for the Americas at Getty Images, where she spearheaded a transformative marketing service initiative which substantially boosted revenue and drove the advancement of its DE&I business. Prior to that, McCrensky led marketing teams at Martini Media, Bloomberg, Amex, Time Inc and Ogilvy.

Malka's diverse portfolio includes collaborations with global household brands and B2B enterprises such as Amazon, L'Oreal, SharkNinja, Citi, and EY, underscoring its unparalleled expertise in content creation. To learn more about Malka's innovative approach to storytelling, please visit malkamedia.com.

About Malka:
We are the makers, delivering content at the speed of now because we believe that the best stories never wait. Founded in 2011, Malka is an adaptive content studio sitting at the intersection of strategic creative and agile production. Malka seamlessly combines the strategic insights of a creative agency with the dynamic efficiency of a full-service production company, executing with the highest quality and delivering at the speed of commerce. With advanced facilities in Jersey City, NJ and Santa Monica, CA, the studio’s team of skilled creatives and producers integrate into projects of any scale, meeting the varied needs of our diverse clients. Malka’s portfolio spans feature documentaries, immersive podcasts, rebranding, and innovative advertising campaigns for global brands including L’Oreal, Deloitte, CitiBank, Amazon Music and MoneyLion.

About MoneyLion:
MoneyLion is a leader in financial technology powering the next generation of personalized products and content, with a top consumer finance super app, a premier embedded finance platform for enterprise businesses and a world-class media arm. MoneyLion’s mission is to give everyone the power to make their best financial decisions. We pride ourselves on serving the many, not the few; providing confidence through guidance, choice, and personalization; and shortening the distance to an informed action. In our go-to money app for consumers, we deliver curated content on finance and related topics, through a tailored feed that engages people to learn and share. People take control of their finances with our innovative financial products and marketplace—including our full-fledged suite of features to save, borrow, spend and invest—seamlessly bringing together the best offers and content from MoneyLion and our 1,100+ Enterprise Partner network, together in one experience.

MoneyLion’s enterprise technology provides the definitive search engine and marketplace for financial products, enabling any company to add embedded finance to their business, with advanced AI-backed data and tools through our platform and API. Established in 2013, MoneyLion connects millions of people with the financial products and content they need, when and where they need it.

For more information about MoneyLion, please visit www.moneylion.com. For information about Engine by MoneyLion for enterprise businesses, please visit www.engine.tech. For investor information and updates, visit investors.moneylion.com and follow @MoneyLionIR on X.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240513785763/en/

Media

Malka Communications

malka@propellergroup.com

MoneyLion Communications

pr@moneylion.com

Source: Malka

FAQ

What changes in leadership were announced by Malka in 2023?

Malka appointed Chris Apostle and Bill Davaris as co-CEOs and Paige McCrensky as Chief Brand Officer in 2023.

How has Malka impacted MoneyLion's social media presence?

Since its acquisition by MoneyLion in 2021, Malka has significantly boosted MoneyLion's social media presence, making it one of the most followed fintech brands.

What is the focus of Malka's new leadership?

The new leadership at Malka aims to enhance its content creation capabilities and convert insights into engaging, timely narratives.

What experience do the new co-CEOs of Malka bring?

Chris Apostle and Bill Davaris bring extensive experience from leading agencies, with backgrounds in advertising, client services, and digital marketing.

Who is Malka's first Chief Brand Officer and what is her background?

Paige McCrensky is Malka’s first Chief Brand Officer, previously serving as VP of marketing and brand communications at Getty Images.