TORONTO, September 15, 2026 — 7 Communications is strengthening its leadership team as the independent agency enters its next phase of growth, appointing Deborah Belcourt as Vice-President, Communications and expanding the role of Director, Finance and Operations Ariane Dantas.

Belcourt will build and lead Communications as the agency’s third client-facing division, running alongside Experiential and Brand & Digital, with Creative continuing to work across the agency. The move reflects 7 Communications’ belief that the strongest independent agencies will win by bringing multiple disciplines together around a client’s business rather than being defined by a single specialty.

‘Clients are asking ideas to work harder and travel further,’ said Larry Futers, Founder, President & CEO of 7 Communications. ‘An extraordinary experience can create a memorable moment, Brand & Digital can build sustained engagement and Communications can extend that influence through reputation, earned attention and the stories surrounding the work. We have delivered communications mandates for years. Deb gives us the senior leadership, depth and relationships to build that capability at a much greater scale.’

Belcourt brings more than three decades of experience across agency, client and advisory roles. She spent the first 15 years of her career in agencies, followed by a decade client side, including serving as Vice-President, Communications at Canwest, overseeing communications for Global Television, its specialty channel portfolio and the Office of the CEO. She later returned to agency leadership, helping grow an independent agency by approximately 300%, before launching her own advisory practice.

Over the past eight years, Belcourt has advised more than 20 agencies, businesses and leadership teams on growth, business development, communications and organizational evolution. 7 Communications became one of those clients before she chose to join the agency full time. Her career includes work with brands such as Metro, BMW, San Pellegrino, Carter’s OshKosh, L’Oréal, RBC, Mazda, Microsoft, Unilever and Pfizer.

‘After almost a decade advising agency founders and leadership teams, I had become convinced it would take a unicorn to bring me back into an agency full time,’ said Belcourt. ‘For me, 7 Communications is that agency. There is a maturity, elegance, integrity and intelligence to the team, coupled with enormous ambition. I have long believed midsize independent agencies can compete with the large networks by refusing to be pigeonholed into one discipline and instead bringing the right expertise together around the client. 7 is exceptionally well positioned to do that.’

Belcourt will lead capabilities spanning corporate communications, public relations, reputation, earned media, executive visibility, thought leadership, strategic counsel and executive media training. Her mandate also extends across the broader agency, helping Communications strengthen Experiential and Brand & Digital assignments while creating new opportunities across existing client relationships. The role aligns with 7 Communications’ evolving Communications & Media offering, focused on shaping the stories, conversations and reputations that make brands matter, helping organizations earn attention, build influence and shape how they are understood.

‍Strengthening the Business Behind the Work

‍Ariane Dantas joined 7 Communications earlier this year as Director, Finance and Operations after building her career inside the agency sector, including roles with FAULHABER Communications, Pomp & Circumstance and A&C. Dantas leads the financial and operational infrastructure behind the agency, spanning forecasting, profitability, resource planning, systems, operations and financial discipline.‘

Growth only matters if the business underneath it is built to support it,’ said Futers. ‘Ariane understands agency economics, people and the operational realities of scaling. She gives us greater visibility and discipline as we invest in new capabilities and pursue the next stage of the business.’

‍Sixteen Years at the Heart of 7 Communications

‍The expanded leadership team also builds around one of the agency’s longest-standing leaders. Natalie Maurice, Vice-President, Experiential, celebrates 16 years with 7 Communications this year. Maurice was the agency’s first employee and has grown alongside the business to become one of its most important leaders and an anchor of its culture.

‘Natalie was our first hire and over the past sixteen years, has helped build our Experiential business, developed people, earned enormous trust from our clients and carried the standards of the agency,' said Futers. 'As we add senior talent and new capabilities, it is equally important to recognize the leaders who built the foundation we are growing from.’

Maurice leads Experiential alongside Dennis Cant, Vice-President, Brand & Digital, and Belcourt. Creative continues to work across the agency, bringing ideas, identities and visual worlds to life across every touchpoint. Together, the structure reflects the agency 7 Communications is building: Experiential Marketing, Brand & Digital, Communications & Media and Creative working together to create work that earns attention, builds connection and drives growth.

‘This is a stake in the ground for the kind of independent agency we want to build,’ said Futers. ‘Our ambition is to be the agency that iconic brands call when the work must be memorable and exceptional. That requires exceptional people, uncompromising craft and leaders who make the entire agency and every client relationship stronger.’

‘Deb expands what we can offer. Ariane strengthens how we operate. Natalie represents the experience, leadership and culture that have carried us this far. Together with Dennis and the broader team, that gives us a very strong foundation for what comes next.’

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About 7 Communications

‍7 Communications is an independent marketing agency built to make exceptional brands impossible to forget. The agency brings together Experiential Marketing, Brand & Digital, Communications & Media and Creative to create work designed to earn attention, build connection and drive growth.

With deep experience working with premium and luxury brands, 7 Communications brings a standard of taste, judgement, restraint, precision and discretion to every client it serves. Its culture is built around exceptional people, high-touch service and uncompromising craft.