EXCLUSIVE: The Lede Company Acquires Heather Leeds Greenfield’s Element Brand Group

The Lede Company — a full-service communications, marketing and consulting firm in Los Angeles and New York — has acquired brand partnerships and marketing agency Element Brand Group, WWD has learned exclusively.

Element Brand Group founder Heather Leeds Greenfield will join The Lede Company as partner and head of brand partnerships. Her team, including senior vice presidents Michael Kutach and Jill Ormand, will also join Lede.

“This acquisition strengthens our ability to serve clients across all touchpoints of modern brand marketing and communications,” said Christine Su, co-CEO of The Lede Company, in a statement.

Lede was cofounded in 2018 in Los Angeles and New York by Su alongside PR executives Amanda Silverman, Sarah Levinson Rothman and Meredith O’Sullivan. It has since established itself as a strategic architect behind celebrity branding and business ventures, working with some of the biggest names and brands in entertainment, fashion, beauty, wellness, media and more, including Levi’s, Audi, Isabel Marant, Violet Grey, Kenzo, The North Face, Thom Browne, Clinique, Instagram and WhatsApp. The firm expanded internationally in 2022 to London, followed by Paris a year later with the acquisition of Paris-based agencies Olivier Bourgis Communication and Marketing and Ritual Projects.

“Heather has a sharp understanding of what it takes to build meaningful, culturally resonant campaigns,” added Su. “Her team’s experience across brand strategy, creative marketing, and full-scale campaigns will deepen the way we support our clients and expand how we show up in today’s evolving media and consumer landscape.”

Greenfield, a brand strategist with more than two decades of experience, founded Element Brand Group in 2016. Based in Los Angeles and New York, the agency — working with the likes of Airbnb, Audible, Coca-Cola, and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee — specializes in brand strategies, media relations, talent and influencer programs, partnerships, and activations across fashion, hospitality, entertainment, food and beverage, tech and sports.

“I’ve always believed the most impactful work for our brand clients happens when programs and campaigns are rooted in culture — with the right partners, the right timing, and a clear point of view,” said Greenfield in a statement. “Joining Lede represents an exciting opportunity to scale that vision with a broader platform and deeper resources, while we continue to lead with intention, creativity, and collaboration.”