# Bridget Westerholz

> Bridget Westerholz is the chief marketing officer of Toronto-based advertising technology company illumin. Across a 25-year career spanning Cape Town, London, Toronto, and Vancouver, she has moved from agency account leadership to senior operating roles at FUSE Create, Happy Planet Foods, SPUD, and illumin, joining consumer insight, brand building, team mentorship, and measurable business outcomes.

- **Role:** Chief Marketing Officer at illumin
- **Organizations:** illumin, SPUD, Happy Planet Foods, FUSE Create, DDB Canada, MCBD/Dare
- **Education:** Postgraduate degree in advertising
- **Known for:** Contributed to work recognized by the IPA Effectiveness Awards, Cassies, Marketing Awards, Cannes, and Clios., Rebuilt SPUD’s brand strategy, product marketing plans, and transactional campaigns., Helped launch SPUD’s #HerFairShare initiative for women-owned and women-run businesses; 40 eligible businesses applied in its first months.

## Career timeline

- **Early career** — Began her advertising career in South Africa after completing a postgraduate advertising degree; worked on Red Bull and Hyundai accounts.
- **Later agency career** — Moved to MCBD, now Dare, and worked on accounts including P&O Cruises and Debenhams.
- **Before 2019** — Joined DDB in Vancouver as Group Account Director on Destination Canada and Capital One, later becoming VP, Director of Client Services.
- **2019-2021** — Served as SVP, Partner, and Managing Director at FUSE Create.
- **2022-2023** — Served as Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Happy Planet Foods.
- **Before 2024-08** — Served as Vice President of Marketing at SPUD, leading work across brand, retail, loyalty, ecommerce, and digital.
- **2024-08** — Joined illumin as Senior Vice President of Marketing, responsible for global marketing.
- **2026** — Listed by illumin as Chief Marketing Officer.

## Achievements

- Contributed to work recognized by the IPA Effectiveness Awards, Cassies, Marketing Awards, Cannes, and Clios.
- Rebuilt SPUD’s brand strategy, product marketing plans, and transactional campaigns.
- Helped launch SPUD’s #HerFairShare initiative for women-owned and women-run businesses; 40 eligible businesses applied in its first months.
- Selected as a judge in the Brand Building category for the 2025 Canadian Marketing Association Awards.
- Led marketing around illumin’s 2025 brand identity and global omnichannel campaign.

## Latest updates

- **2026-01** — As illumin CMO, said marketers need trusted performance signals while campaigns are live, alongside a major platform upgrade focused on measurable business outcomes.
- **2025-10** — Helped lead illumin’s brand overhaul and Advertising Week New York activation around the line ‘See More. Achieve More.’
- **2025-09** — Published the LinkedIn article ‘The Psychology of Market Pivots’ about illumin’s year-long market pivot.
- **2025** — Selected as a Canadian Marketing Association Awards judge in the Brand Building category.
- **2024-08** — Joined illumin as Senior Vice President of Marketing.

## Links

- Website: https://illumin.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-westerholz-7860958

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/bridget-westerholz
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-24