New European Hub and Ben Armistead Joins The Actionists

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former 72andSunny Amsterdam President and Wieden+Kennedy Global Strategy Leader Joins Firm as Demand Grows for Senior Strategic Marketing Counsel Across North America, Europe and Asia

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[Closter, NJ] – August 4, 2026 – The Actionists, the strategic marketing consultancy that bridges the gap between traditional management consultancies and advertising agencies, today announced the opening of its European hub in Amsterdam and the appointment of internationally recognized strategy leader Ben Armistead as Chief Strategy Officer and Partner. Building on the firm's established presence in Spain, the new Amsterdam office strengthens The Actionists' European footprint and enhances its ability to serve multinational clients across North America, Europe and Asia.

The Actionists was founded by Pio Schunker and Lee Roth with a simple mission: to make marketing more actionable to the business. With a collective of more than 75 senior strategists, marketers and business leaders, The Actionists have sat on every side of the table—as brand leaders, agency executives, and consultants. They have built global businesses, created brands people love, and designed the strategic frameworks and operating systems that help organizations align and grow. This rare, overarching perspective allows the firm to bridge business, brand, and marketing in ways few firms can, making it a trusted advisor—and the stealth weapon—behind many of today's modern CMOs. The firm advises many of the world's leading organizations, including Visa, Coca-Cola, Samsung and Kimberly-Clark as well as challenger brands and start-ups, navigating growth, transformation, and organizational change.

"Marketers are under more pressure than ever before. They are navigating increasingly complex businesses that span markets, cultures, and time zones, and they need partners who have actually built global organizations—not simply advised on them," said Schunker. "Establishing Amsterdam as our European hub allows us to better support our growing international client base while strengthening our ability to serve organizations across Europe, North America, and Asia with senior strategic counsel."

"Ben embodies everything The Actionists stands for," said Roth. "His experience across commercial strategy, behavioral science, brand building, consumer and cultural insights, and creative effectiveness reflects our belief that today's biggest business challenges can't be solved through traditional consulting or agency silos. They require integrated thinking grounded in real operating experience.”

Armistead joins The Actionists after serving as President/Managing Director and Executive Strategy Director at 72andSunny Amsterdam. Previously, he was Global Head of Effectiveness and Chief Strategy Officer for Wieden+Kennedy London, where he rebuilt the agency's strategy practice and helped drive record business growth. Earlier leadership roles include Chief Strategy Officer across Grey Group Spain, Head of Strategy at 180 Amsterdam, and Global Planning Director at Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam.

Throughout his career, Armistead has developed strategies for global brands including Nike, Coca-Cola, PlayStation, Heineken, UNICEF, Visa and HP. Having led global strategy while also running local organizations across Europe—and working professionally in multiple countries and languages—he brings a rare perspective on both sides of the global equation: helping organizations create ambitious global strategies while ensuring they resonate across markets, cultures and consumers.

"The Actionists have built something genuinely different," said Armistead. "Businesses don't need more disconnected specialists. They need experienced partners who understand how business, brand, and marketing work together to drive growth. There's a reason Pio was twice named Cannes Lions Marketer of the Year, and why so many of the world's leading marketers turn to Pio, Lee, and our entire team for strategic counsel. That depth of experience, combined with a genuinely collaborative culture, is what attracted me to the firm. I'm excited to help build on that foundation as we continue our next phase of global growth."