The awesome Karrelle Dixon has been named Managing Director, W+K Portland as agency veteran Tom Blessington exits For YouTube.

Karrelle first joined W+K London in 2006 as an account manager and has spent the past two years as director of growth markets, supporting our offices in Shanghai, Tokyo and Delhi. Prior to this, he was the global account director for Nike, based in Portland.

Tom first started with W+K in 1990. Under his leadership, the Portland office has expanded its client base to include some of the world’s most exciting brands, more than doubled the staff to over 600 people, created some of the industry’s most celebrated creative work, and earned a number of distinguished accolades. Prior to managing Portland, he held a variety of key roles at the agency, including leading the Nike business both in the US and Europe, helping to open and establish W+K Amsterdam and later opening W+K New York serving as its first Managing Director.

Karrelle said: “I have inherited an incredible business and brand that I am truly humbled to now lead. I am excited to work with my partners (Eric Baldwin and Jason Bagley) to build on the breakthrough work that Wieden+Kennedy has been making with great client partners. As we move into the next chapter of our story, my hope and goal is that we continue to be a diverse and dynamic environment that set the standard for creative excellence in the industry.”

Tom commented: “Saying goodbye to the familiar and hello to the new and unknown is literally what Dan has preached as a creative philosophy since the inception of Wieden+Kennedy. My move is merely putting his wisdom into practice professionally. And as hard as it is to leave a place I love and helped build for almost a quarter of a century, I think every career agency account person wonders what life would be like working on the client side. Well, joining YouTube was far too amazing an opportunity to not find out.”