SPOTLIGHT: LINDA DESCANO
Executive Vice President at Red Havas
Linda, CFA®, is a past president of New York Women in Communications and currently serves as the organization’s Treasurer. Linda’s day job is as Executive Vice President at Red Havas.
An executive leader and a communications strategist, Linda describes herself a conversation architect, designing and delivering award-winning integrated campaigns underpinned by social media and content marketing. And, as a CFA® charterholder, Linda brings to the strategy table financial and analytical savvy that helps her deliver data-driven results for clients and the boards on which she serves.
Linda joined Red Havas in October 2015 as Executive Vice President, and provides strategic counsel on digital, social and measurement to the firm’s corporate and consumer clients. Prior to joining Red Havas, Linda held several executive level positions at Citi, including managing director and global head of content marketing and social media for Citi’s Global Consumer Bank; president and CEO of Women & Co., an award-winning financial lifestyle community for women; Director and Portfolio Manager of Social Awareness Investments at Citigroup Asset Management; and Senior Vice President and Head of Environmental Affairs at Citi predecessor, Salomon Inc.
Linda has been featured in Ad Age, Business Insider, Digiday, and HuffPost, among others. Her honors include a 2014 Fox Information Technology Distinguished Alumni Award from the Fox School of Business at Temple University, 2014 Pinnacle in Leadership Award from the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, and 2013 Changing the Game Award from Advertising Women of New York.
In addition to serving on NYWICI’s board of directors, Linda serves as a capstone mentor and advisory council member for the Fox School of Business M.S. in Digital Innovation in Marketing program and the board of Servo Annex, a Toronto-based digital consultancy. Linda also serves as a strategic advisor to the Walnut Club.
Why Linda does what she does… “It’s simple: I love telling stories and sparking conversation.”
Drawn to NYWICI… “My first experience with NYWICI was at a Matrix Awards luncheon, which was so uplifting and inspiring that I just had to get involved. What has kept me engaged is how invested NYWICI members are in each other’s success.”
My favorite social media platform… “Hands down, it’s Facebook because it’s where most of my family and friends are active and enables me to keep up with what’s going on in their lives.”
At the top of my trend-watching list is… All things AI.”
Off the clock, really… “I love walking around Philadelphia and rediscovering the city after being away for 20+ years, experiencing new restaurants and hanging out with my family.”
My nirvana… “The Four Corners area of the U.S. It’s magical.”
Did you know… “I’m a geophysicist by education.”
Day to relive… “My wedding to Scott—and, specifically, I’d love to experience the cocktail hour, which we missed because we were taking pictures.”
Words to live by… “It’s a saying from the Lakota people: ‘We will forever be known by the tracks we leave.’ This reminds me to tread carefully, that our words, actions and footsteps leave a lasting impact on people’s hearts and minds as well as on our planet.”
