GMR Marketing Enhances AI Capabilities, Hires Three New Executives

GMR Marketing’s advancement of its world class data-driven solutions practice for brands took another step forward today with the hiring of three executives across its client consulting, creative, and growth departments.

John Shumate (SVP, Client Consulting), Corban Baxter (EVP, Products), and Gozie Nwabuebo (SVP, Growth), bring “a varied set of accomplishments and viewpoints to our already-established award winning creative and consulting teams,” said Tyson Webber, GMR’s President and CEO.

“This is about our agency meeting the moment we’re seeing across the intersecting worlds of sports, entertainment, and brand experiences,” Webber said. “As AI continues to revolutionize marketing and advertising by enabling hyper-personalized and data-driven campaigns, the value of live experiences grows even further, offering authentic and memorable connections.”

Shumate joins GMR off the back of stints as a global brand marketing leader for Champion, MGM Resorts International, Foot Locker, and PepsiCo. His breadth of experience developing and managing partner alliances with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, Live Nation properties, celebrities, athletes, and entertainers made him a perfect fit for GMR’s expanding client list.

“John brings a level of client-side expertise that’s rare in our industry and precisely what’s needed as client expectations continue to evolve,” said Adam Lippard, GMR’s Chief Commercial Officer. “His leadership will deepen our ability to anticipate client needs and deliver truly integrated, world-class solutions for our partners.”

Baxter, an accomplished technology trailblazer with extensive experience in product development and strategic growth, comes to GMR with a deep background at creative and technology agencies, most recently as the Associate Director of Technology at Mondo Robot, a digital product agency in Boulder, Colo.

“Bringing someone like Corban to GMR instantly transforms our ability to sit at the forefront of AI tooling and strategy,” said Max Lenderman, GMR’s Chief Experience Officer. “For us to do our best work for clients, we have to be the best agency in product development and product invention, and Corban is the leader who will help us chase this ever-evolving target.”

As the agency’s new head of growth, Nwabuebo will be charged with transforming how GMR has served the portfolio of its existing clients and how GMR’s offerings were presented to brands in the market for a consulting, creative, and experiential agency. He has most recently served in executive roles at Google, Comcast, and Visa.

“Gozie’s experience working with some of the world’s most recognizable brands positions him perfectly to reimagine how we approach growth for both our clients and our agency,” Lippard said. “His ability to unlock insights from data and translate them into actionable strategies sets him apart in our space.”

Webber added that GMR is “a consumer and human-first agency, and we’re committed to leading our client work with the strength of our data and AI practices. John, Corban, and Gozie are at the forefront of these efforts, leveraging our proprietary live event data from SOLE Science™ to make informed decisions, optimize our strategies in real-time, and ultimately drive better results for our clients.”