Most people would find it remarkable that a 37-year old rose to the rank of CEO of the flagship office of a major worldwide advertising network. Others would find it even more remarkable that she chose to leave that post.
But Susan Cantor isn’t just another thirty-something. After serving for two years as President and CEO for Lowe New York, the agency for clients like GMC Trucks, Milk, Johnson & Johnson and Unilever, Susan decided it was time to carve her own path. “Working at an international agency poses terrific challenges,” says Cantor, who Crain’s New York Business named as one of its “40 Under 40” stars. “But it’s nothing like the thrill of building something new and different.”
Cantor joined Thinktopia in April 2006. “As marketers we are always looking for ways to build communities around our brands, as a partner in Thinktopia I am now single-mindedly focused on doing just that.” At Lowe, Susan played an integral role on the team that defined the GMC Truck “Professional Grade” positioning, the most coveted position in the Light Truck category and earned her the Women’s Automotive Association’s “Spirit of Leadership” award in 2004. GMC’s Cantor also played an active part in the agency new business team, and helped land the coveted Macy’s business in 2003, the retailer’s first-ever cohesive advertising program. Susan began her career at Griffin Bacal, where she worked on Hasbro, then moved to Ammirati & Puris and supervised the Burger King account. Ammirati merged with Lowe & Partners Worldwide in 1999. Susan lives in New York City with her husband and three daughters.