Premier consultancy in agency search & relationship management
About Us
For better or worse, I am a striver. I want to win and help my clients win in the marketplace. In this crazy business, the opportunity to learn something new everyday; to be on the cutting edge of seeing the best agencies and talent put it to use tomorrow; to truly be at the head of the class in our industry keeps me going.
Catherine Bension
CEO
at work
Catherine’s passion for SelectResources International is evident the moment you meet with her. She joined the company in the late ‘90s following significant stints as both a client and agency executive. Under Catherine’s leadership, SRI has grown to become the premier strategic search consultancy in the country. Elected by AdAge in 2002 as one of “20 Women to Watch,” Catherine is a recognized industry authority on agency searches and relationship management. As SRI’s CEO, she oversees all aspects of the company’s search and consulting practice.
As with many people who get into advertising, Catherine started in a completely different place – movie marketing. At Columbia Pictures she worked with Steven Spielberg on the launch of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” As CMO for Universal Studios’ Recreation Group, she laid the groundwork for the company’s successful expansion into the Florida market and launched the first theme park industry marketing effort targeting Hispanics.
Catherine is also a seasoned agency executive and has held senior management positions at a number of ad agencies, including DDB Worldwide, FCB Worldwide and Ogilvy. Her client/agency experience gives her the unique ability to have perspective from both sides of the agency-client relationship.
Catherine has worked to expand SRI’s search and consulting practice to address a broad portfolio of client needs. She has helped clients find partners to develop holistic, channel-neutral, go-to-market strategies with digital at the core, as well as big, powerful brand ideas that lead to deeper engagement and ROI. The secret to her success: “I am constantly learning – about our business; what’s new; what’s working – the best practitioners. At SRI, we are students of the industry. We think proactively. We think outside the box. Most importantly, our client-centric approach empowers our clients to better define their specific needs and wants so we can deploy our best-practices knowledge on their behalf.”
Catherine received her MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School after being a foreign language major as an undergrad. She has a BA in German from UCLA and spent significant time studying abroad in college.
at home
When not on a plane to the far corners of the U.S. or globe, Catherine likes to spend quality time with her husband Marc at their home in California’s wine country or go skiing with her two adult sons, Jake and Bryan.
For better or worse, I am a striver. I want to win and help my clients win in the marketplace. In this crazy business, the opportunity to learn something new everyday; to be on the cutting edge of seeing the best agencies and talent put it to use tomorrow; to truly be at the head of the class in our industry keeps me going.