The Bloc announced Thursday morning that Stephanie Berman is returning to the company as global chief creative officer.
Berman is returning to The Bloc, a 2023 MM+M Agency 100 honoree, after spending the last five years at McCann Health New York and Hill Holliday Health, which were also listed among the industry’s top agencies.
In a press release announcing the return of Berman, The Bloc noted that she will serve as the agency’s first global chief creative officer. Berman is tasked with spearheading projects across oncology, rare disease and other therapeutic areas. Berman will also lead The Bloc’s creative teams in New York, Basel, Milan, Munich and Manila.
“We are thrilled to welcome Stephanie back to our team,” The Bloc CEO Jennifer Matthews said in a statement. “Her visionary leadership is poised to bring transformative ideas that resonate with the evolving needs of healthcare markets worldwide. Stephanie’s unique approach, blending mentorship and collaboration with an insightful understanding of behavior-based strategies, aligns perfectly with The Bloc’s vision for the future.”
Berman previously worked at The Bloc from 2003 to 2018, holding roles that culminated in her most recent position as chief creative officer at the firm’s New York office.
In 2018, she left to join McCann Health New York, where she served as EVP, executive creative director and chief creative officer until 2022. Starting in December of last year, Berman joined Hill Holliday Health as chief creative officer.
Before Berman’s original stint at The Bloc, she worked at The CementWorks and The IronWorks.
In her new role, one of Berman’s main priorities will be to help The Bloc integrate behavior-based communications into its promotional and educational initiatives. In a statement, Berman pointed to her two decades of experience in health and wellness as providing her with momentum on this latest assignment.
“Rejoining The Bloc at this transformative stage is invigorating,” she said. “My former tenure at The Bloc, along with diverse experience gained in more recent leadership roles, uniquely position me to spearhead our global creative efforts. I’m excited to lead our talented team and continue to innovate in the health creative space.”
Berman isn’t the first boomerang at The Bloc this year. Margaret Haskell also returned to the agency in June as SVP and director of strategic planning.
Beyond its personnel moves, 2023 has been a busy year for The Bloc.
The agency expanded its presence in Europe this fall — establishing The Bloc in Germany and acquiring Thenewway, an Italian health comms agency. It also unveiled rebranding assets in tandem with the Europe expansion.
This all comes on the heels of a difficult year in 2022, with revenue dropping 26% between 2021 and 2022 to $42.2 million, according to 2023 MM+M Agency 100 revenue chart.
