Create Advertising Appoints Jonathan Gitlin as CEO

Create Advertising has appointed Jonathan Gitlin as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding founder David Stern, who transitions to Chairman after more than two decades leading the company, announced in a press release. Stern will continue to advise on long term strategy while Gitlin oversees daily operations alongside the senior leadership team in Los Angeles and London.

Gitlin joined the company in 2006 as a design intern and advanced through multiple roles including Creative Director of Design, Partner, and President. His appointment comes as the studio expands its creative leadership and strengthens operations across film, series, and gaming marketing. Executive Vice President Suneil Beri will now lead the Film and Series team, while Joey Samaniego and Gerry Batson have been hired to head key art and creative strategy, respectively.

Under Gitlin’s leadership, Create Advertising plans to increase investment in culture and talent, connect creative services across its two offices, and further develop its proprietary AI platform. The company describes its AI approach as employee led, with technology integrated into workflows through internal experimentation and collaboration.

The announcement follows the studio’s recent success at the 2026 Golden Trailer Awards, where it won three awards and received sixteen nominations across theatrical, streaming, television, and gaming categories.