Folklore has appointed Obele Brown-West, former president of Colle McVoy, as its new CEO and partner, effective last week. She steps in to lead the independent creative agency alongside founder and COO Mike Matheny, who will continue to shape the shop's creative direction.

The move came about through an unusual route. Brown-West was not looking to leave her position at Colle McVoy. But casual conversations with her friend, mentor, and then-Folklore CEO Lorenz Esguerra gradually turned into forward-looking discussions about the agency's future.

Matheny said he knew Brown-West was the right fit when he handed her a 300-page deck detailing Folklore's approach to creativity. She responded by adding 200 pages of her own thoughts.

"The minute I started talking with her, I was like, 'This is not a surface level talk,' because I've had plenty of those [conversations]," Matheny told ADWEEK.

In her new role, Brown-West will work closely with Matheny to carve out the agency's future. She will oversee business operations and ensure everything folds into that shared vision.

The leadership change signals a deliberate succession plan at the independent shop, pairing an outside operating executive with the founding team's creative legacy.