Bully Pulpit Interactive Taps BCW EVP Kim Axelrod as COO to Help Scale the Agency’s Rapidly Growing Business
Washington, D.C. (December 8, 2021) — Bully Pulpit Interactive (BPI) announced today that Kim Axelrod is joining the agency as Chief Operating Officer (COO). As Executive Vice President and COO of the D.C. Market for BCW Global, Axelrod led DC business operations as well as one of the firm’s largest global accounts. At BPI, she will oversee the agency’s four offices in Chicago, D.C., New York, and San Francisco, as well as a staff of over 190 people. Axelrod will be a part of BPI’s senior leadership’s efforts to scale the business, integrate services to bolster capabilities, and oversee the growth of talent. This fall, BPI was named PRovoke Media’s Global Public Affairs Agency of the Year.
“I am extremely proud of the team that we’ve built over the last 12 years and the growth that BPI has achieved. Kim is the unique combination of a first-chair strategist and experienced agency pro who can help us build on our momentum. Her vision in the COO seat will help us drive the next stage of scale as we redefine the intersection of communications and marketing,” said BPI President and Founder Andrew Bleeker. “Winning the war on talent is critical to BPI’s continued success and I’m looking forward to Kim’s leadership continuing to foster an environment where top talent wants to stay,” continued Bleeker.
Axelrod joins BPI after nearly a decade with BCW Global, where she most recently served as COO of the agency’s D.C. market across their portfolio companies. She was also the North America client lead for BCW’s Bank of America account which she helped grow and lead throughout her tenure. Axelrod focused on integration across BCW and its grassroots and lobbying specialty divisions, as well as BCW Group research and creative arms. She previously held in-house communications positions at Fortune 500 and start-up brands, as well as other global PR agencies focused on Fortune 100 clients.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to join the BPI team. The agency has a strong foundation and excellent reputation, and I’m looking forward to being part of BPI’s exciting future. My ultimate goal — alongside the rest of the leadership team — will be to keep delivering real change and impact for our clients today and ensure we’re poised for future growth. By focusing on operational effectiveness and optimizing the employee experience, I think we can make great strides,” said Axelrod.
The agency’s COO role was last filled by Ann Marie Habershaw, who passed away in 2018. BPI has continually expanded its DC office over the past year, most recently by hiring former Northrop Grumman VP Yolanda Murphy and former DNC Senior Advisor Xochitl Hinojosa as Managing Directors.
