Second Hall & Partners CEO Joins db5

Hall & Partners US CEO Michelle Castle is leaving to join quant branding and creative researcher db5 after a year in the role. She will join db5 Chief Exec Chris Hubble, also a former Hall & Partners CEO, and will lead a new office in Chicago as db5's President USA as well as becoming a shareholder.

Castle joined Hall & Partners in 1999 and has more than twenty years of brand and communications research experience.She worked earlier at IRI and Millward Brown, and holds a Masters in Communication from the University of Illinois.

db5 says the new office will have two or three additional employees on launch, and will be boosted by 'reinforcements' from Los Angeles and NYC where the firm has about 40 full-time employees.

Hubble, who founded the company in 2009 and was Hall & Partners CEO between 2003 and 2008, comments: 'We recognize fully that we haven't and can't make the kind of impact we want without a truly national presence. Hiring Michelle gives us the benefit of launching immediately with credibility in the competitive Chicago market.' Company partner Dan Goldstein comments: 'We promise our clients the best people, the best work, and the most innovative approaches, and Michelle joining allows us to continue to have db5 principals work across all our clients and businesses.'

Hall & Partners Global CEO Vanella Jackson said the firm was grateful to Castle, adding 'Michelle has done a fine job as our US CEO, and a great job as the Managing Partner of the Chicago office.' Castle will continue to work at Hall & Partners to help with the transition to a new US leader.

db5 has its HQ in Los Angeles and existing offices in SoHo New York. Sadly, its web site address is www.dogsbollocks5.com .