Livefront Taps Rival Execs to Lead AI Charge After Zeal Merger

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – February 02, 2026 – Digital consulting firm Livefront has announced a significant expansion of its leadership team, appointing two seasoned executives from major industry competitors. The move signals an aggressive push to capitalize on its recent strategic combination with Zeal IT Consultants and solidify its position as a premier, AI-first partner for Fortune 1000 companies.

Ed Hoffman, formerly a Senior Vice President at Perficient, joins as Chief Growth Officer, while Trent Sutton, the former Global Chief Operating Officer at Credera, has been appointed President. These high-profile hires are a clear statement of intent from the Minneapolis-based firm, which is gearing up for its next chapter of growth in the fiercely competitive digital transformation market.

“Ed and Trent are highly accomplished leaders who have a powerful blend of experience in scaling organizations, protecting culture, ensuring operating excellence, and fostering strong client relationships and teams at premier digital consultancies,” said Mike Bollinger, Founder and CEO of Livefront, in a statement. “We are excited to work with them in realizing the full potential of our combination with Zeal as the go-to partner for organizations navigating complex digital change.”

A Strategic Power Play in the AI Consulting Arena

The recruitment of Hoffman and Sutton is more than a routine leadership shuffle; it's a strategic coup that underscores the intensifying talent war in the high-end consulting space. By bringing in executives who have spent decades scaling global firms like Perficient and Credera, Livefront is arming itself with the operational and growth expertise needed to compete at the highest level.

Ed Hoffman’s 20-year tenure at Perficient saw him play a pivotal role in the company’s evolution into a global, AI-first digital consultancy. He was instrumental in launching the firm's digital experience offerings and later oversaw its entire North American business operations, including sales, market operations, and project delivery. His appointment as Chief Growth Officer is a clear signal that Livefront intends to aggressively expand its market share.

“Livefront is an incredible business with a strong foundation and tremendous opportunity ahead,” Mr. Hoffman stated. “I am thrilled to be part of the team and to work closely with my talented colleagues across the company as we continue to push the boundaries of technology forward to create ground-breaking, AI-first solutions for our clients.”

Forging a Post-Merger Powerhouse

The appointments come at a critical juncture for Livefront, following its recent strategic combination with Zeal IT Consultants. That merger created a combined entity of over 300 strategists, designers, and engineers, backed by a 2023 strategic investment from private equity firm Rallyday Partners. Now, the challenge—and opportunity—is to fully integrate these two entities into a seamless, efficient powerhouse.

This is where Trent Sutton’s role as President becomes crucial. As the former Global Chief Operating Officer and Global Chief Financial Officer at Credera, Sutton has deep expertise in driving operational efficiency, managing post-acquisition integration, and scaling global operations. His primary task will be to harmonize the expanded capabilities of the combined Livefront and Zeal teams, ensuring the firm can deliver on its promise of end-to-end services—from digital strategy and experience design to complex AI engineering and data platforms.

“Livefront has established itself as a trusted partner for world class companies that are seeking to drive growth, scale with AI, and win in digital,” said Mr. Sutton. “I look forward to supporting the team and Livefront’s continued success as we grow the business, expand our capabilities, and continue delivering exceptional results for our clients.”

Doubling Down on an 'AI-First' Future

At the heart of Livefront’s strategy is a dedicated “AI-first” approach. The company is positioning itself not just as a builder of digital products, but as a leader in creating intelligent products and platforms. This focus moves beyond buzzwords and into specific service areas like agentic AI, large language model (LLM) integration, and advanced data engineering.

The firm has already demonstrated its capabilities in this area through work with major brands. For General Mills, Livefront developed a computer vision algorithm for real-time image analysis. For education giant Pearson, it designed strategies for personalized student learning paths. This practical experience, combined with the new leadership, aims to convince large enterprises that Livefront can guide them through a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence.

Hoffman's role as Chief Growth Officer will be to tell this unique story in the market, leveraging his experience in building and selling sophisticated digital solutions. The goal is to expand the firm’s offerings for its existing blue-chip client roster—which includes names like Samsung, Optum, and Target—while attracting new prospects seeking a partner to navigate complex technological change. The combined entity is now purpose-built to help clients not only adapt to AI but to use it as a primary driver of growth and competitive advantage.