Independent Brand Design Agency Vault49 Hires Kate McTigue and Martha Kirby in New York

Independent brand design agency Vault49 share news of its latest hires in New York: Kate McTigue, who joins as Strategy Director, and Martha Kirby, Senior Client Director.

Joining from TRIPTK, where she worked on brands including Nike, Beam-Suntory, and Supreme, Kate will initially collaborate with Vault49‘s clients in North America, including Diageo and PepsiCo.

Meg Asaro, Head of Strategy at Vault49, said of Kate’s appointment, “Kate is a creatively-driven Strategy Director who specializes in crafting sharp consumer insights, creating memorable brands, and unlocking game-changing cultural opportunities. Having Kate join my team is a win-win! With a startup background, extensive experience across established brands, and a love of writing, Kate’s skill sets and passions are perfectly aligned with our clients’ needs and the growth opportunities for Strategy at Vault49.”

At the same time, Martha Kirby joins as Senior Client Director. No stranger to Vault49, Martha has been working with the Guinness team in New York for the past six months. Prior to a year of freelancing, Martha was Client Services Director at ThoughtMatter. She will continue to lead work streams for Diageo in North America, as well as become a mentor to more junior members of the client management team in New York.

Jonathan Kenyon, Co-Founder of Vault49, said of Martha’s appointment, “Working in true partnership with our clients is crucial for the success of Vault49. In the past six months, Martha has proven to be an exceptional member of the team, both in her approach to running projects and nurturing client relationships at a senior level, as well as integrating seamlessly into our broader global agency ecosystem. Although it already feels as if she is a full-time member of the team, I am delighted to officially welcome Martha to Vault49.”

Vault49 has also bolstered its Creative team in New York. Previously at Bulletproof, and most recently a typeface design student at Cooper Union, Ally Thomasson also joins the team as a Designer.

Jonathan Kenyon added, “I’m looking forward to collaborating with all of our new team members in the coming months, and seeing the continued growth and success of our New York and London studios. Speaking on behalf of myself and the other Partners, we could not wish for a better global team to go on this journey with.”

Internal Promotions

Vault49 is also pleased to share that Steve Baust has been promoted to Associate Design Director. Steve joined the New York studio in 2019 as Senior Designer. 

In London, Hollie Waters has been promoted to Senior Client Director. Hollie originally joined the New York team as Senior Client Manager in 2020, transferring to Vault49 London in 2023.

Source: Vault49

  Agency, Appointment, Kate McTigue, Martha Kirby, Senior Client Director, Strategy Director, Vault49