Highwire’s New CFO Hire Signals a Grand Strategy for an AI-Fueled Era

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – June 15, 2026 – Strategic marketing and communications agency Highwire has named Kelly Losko, a seasoned financial leader with deep agency experience, as its new Chief Financial Officer. While new executive hires are routine, this one feels different. It arrives not as a prelude to a new strategy, but as the capstone on a transformative six-month period that has seen the firm acquire a major competitor, launch a proprietary AI platform, and fundamentally reshape its market posture. The appointment signals a deliberate shift from explosive growth to a new phase of orchestrated, sustainable expansion.

Losko’s arrival is a clear statement that Highwire is building the financial infrastructure to match its aggressive operational ambitions. “Kelly brings the financial expertise and agency fluency we need as we scale,” said Michael O'Brien, CEO of Highwire, in the official announcement. “She understands how integrated marketing and communications businesses operate from the inside out: how talent, clients, and growth interact.”

A CFO for the Modern Agency Engine

Losko is not a typical corporate finance executive parachuted into a creative industry. Her career has been forged inside the complex, often chaotic, world of advertising and communications agencies. With a resume that includes roles like Global CFO at Forsman & Bodenfors New York, CFO for North America at OLIVER Agency, and nearly a decade in senior finance roles at GroupM and mcgarrybowen, she embodies the “agency fluency” O’Brien cited. This experience is critical in a professional services business where the primary assets—people—walk out the door every evening and the primary challenges involve managing cash flow across project-based work, integrating disparate teams, and pricing the value of strategic counsel.

Her appointment reflects a broader industry trend where the CFO role has evolved from a back-office accounting function to a front-line strategic partner. For a rapidly growing agency like Highwire, a CFO’s role extends far beyond managing the books. It involves providing the data-driven foresight needed to navigate the complexities of integrating a major acquisition, funding the development of proprietary technology, and ensuring the firm’s financial architecture can support its velocity. It’s about making the entire engine run more smoothly and powerfully.

Forging a Powerhouse Through Acquisition

The need for such strategic financial leadership was cemented earlier this year. In January 2026, Highwire completed its acquisition of The Bliss Group, a leading communications firm with a strong foothold in financial services, professional services, and healthcare. The move was a game-changer, instantly creating a combined entity of more a than 250 professionals across North America. This wasn't just about getting bigger; it was about getting deeper.

The acquisition significantly expanded Highwire's sector expertise and provided the foundation for Highwire Health, a new, unified practice that merges the capabilities of both firms to service clients across life sciences, health technology, and the business of health. It was a direct response to client demand for more integrated communications that tie directly to business growth.

However, merging two distinct corporate cultures, integrating financial systems, and aligning service offerings is a monumental task. It introduces a new level of operational and financial complexity. Bringing in a CFO with a track record of managing such integrations at scale is a textbook move for ensuring the long-term success of the merger and capitalizing on the opportunities it creates.

The AI-Powered Operating System

Layered on top of this organizational growth is a significant technological leap. In April, Highwire launched AcroAI, its proprietary agentic AI platform. The agency describes it not as a simple tool, but as an “AI-powered operating layer” designed to run across its entire workflow, from intelligence gathering to content creation and performance analytics.

Built on Google Cloud Platform and boasting SOC 2 Type 2 certification, AcroAI is engineered for enterprise-grade security and can be trained on client-specific data within a sandboxed environment. This differentiates it from the public, off-the-shelf generative AI tools that have raised security and data privacy concerns among corporate clients. For Highwire, AcroAI is a bet on a future where speed and data-driven precision are non-negotiable.

This is where Losko's role becomes even more crucial. Developing and maintaining a proprietary AI platform is a significant, ongoing investment. It requires a CFO who can not only manage the R&D budget but also help structure service offerings and pricing models that capture the value of this technological advantage. As Losko herself stated, “The growth story here is compelling, and I'm joining to help build the financial foundation that a fast-moving, industry leader requires.” Her statement directly links the firm's financial strategy to its identity as a tech-forward industry leader.

Navigating a Crowded and Complex Market

Highwire’s recent moves are a calculated response to a fiercely competitive market. The agency operates at the intersection of B2B technology, cybersecurity, healthcare, and other complex, regulated sectors. This is a space crowded with competitors ranging from global giants like Edelman to specialized boutiques.

Highwire’s strategy for differentiation now rests on three pillars: expanded scale and deep sector expertise from the Bliss Group acquisition; enhanced speed and data-informed strategy from its AcroAI platform; and now, the sophisticated financial stewardship to bind it all together. This triad is designed to give the firm the ability to provide senior-level strategic counsel backed by an operational engine that can execute with precision and speed.

As Highwire Co-founder and President Carol Carrubba noted, the firm is at an “inflection point where the speed, scale, and opportunity have all increased.” The appointment of Kelly Losko is the firm’s decisive move to ensure it has the financial rigor and strategic vision required to navigate that inflection point and build a communications powerhouse designed for the next decade.