Pulse Advertising names Paola Nannelli as Chief Executive

Pulse Advertising has appointed Paola Nannelli as chief executive officer, marking a leadership change at the independent influencer and social media agency as it targets growth in the UK and US.

Nannelli succeeds co-founders Chris Kastenholz and Lara Daniel, who remain shareholders. Pulse is not backed by outside investors.

The agency has built its business around influencer marketing and social media services for multinational brands. Its client list includes Apple, Nestlé, BlackRock and The North Face.

Leadership Change

Nannelli joined Pulse in 2019 to lead its Italian operations. She later became chief sales officer, running global sales and helping expand the client roster and relationships with platform partners.

The leadership transition follows a period of growth, with momentum carrying from 2024 into 2025. Pulse said it has sharpened its focus on what it sees as a differentiator: combining a consistent global strategy with local market execution.

"Brands win when strategy is global, but execution is deeply local," said Nannelli. "That balance has defined our growth so far, and it will continue to guide how we scale in the UK and US."

Over the past year, Pulse said it has deepened work with large clients, expanded its social commerce infrastructure, and strengthened its ability to serve brands at both headquarters and local market level.

"Social media demands partners who can deliver at pace and at scale," said Nannelli. "I'm grateful to Chris and Lara for this opportunity and excited to keep Pulse Advertising as the partner brands choose when they want to win on social, globally."

Kastenholz said Nannelli is well placed to take on the role, citing her work building the agency's Italian operations and leading sales.

"Paola is the right person to take over Pulse Advertising, having built our Italian operations originally and, more recently, delivering client excellence as CSO. We're excited for this next chapter," said Chris Kastenholz, co-founder, Pulse Advertising.

Daniel highlighted continuity in the agency's leadership approach.

"Leadership at Pulse Advertising has never been about titles - it's about impact. Paola has earned this moment, and I couldn't be more confident in where she'll take the agency next," said Lara Daniel, co-founder, Pulse Advertising.

UK And US Plans

Pulse plans to make senior growth hires across the UK and US, focusing on leaders with local market experience and a global outlook.

The agency will also continue building proprietary measurement tools that link social investment to customer acquisition and sales.

Pulse has announced it is "productising" its social commerce offering, focusing on creator-led activity designed to drive measurable transactions and long-term revenue growth for clients. Alongside this push, the agency is expanding its remit across creator advocacy and advanced measurement while exploring new market opportunities.

Market Context

Nannelli described social platforms as a route to direct sales rather than only a media channel, pointing to shifting budgets and commerce features within platforms.

"Social media has stopped being a marketing channel and has become commerce infrastructure," said Nannelli. "TikTok Shop processed $9 billion in just 16 months. Unilever is reallocating $5 billion into social. Coca-Cola's CEO has described influencers as 'our new television'. This isn't just hype - it's a reallocation of budgets at scale."

Pulse said there is a widening gap between consumer attention and marketing spend allocations, and expects the imbalance to correct quickly.

"We're building full-funnel strategies where creators don't just drive reach - they convert," Nannelli added. "Discovery, consideration and purchase increasingly happen in the same scroll. Brands that understand this early will own their categories. Those that don't will spend 2027 catching up."