NEW YORK, April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Horizon Media Holdings, the privately-held parent company of Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency and the largest independent globally, today announced two leadership advancements instrumental in shaping the company’s business strategy, culture, and performance as Horizon continues evolving from a media agency to a growth partner for clients.

Aleksandra Novikova has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Talent Acquisition and Learning, and Fatima Winfrey is rejoining Horizon as Senior Vice President, DEI & Belonging to expand inclusive practices across business growth, operations, workforce planning, and client engagement.

These seasoned female executives will advance Horizon’s integrated approach to recruitment, employee development, and inclusion, foundational pillars supporting long-term expansion and deeper client partnerships. Reflecting a wider organizational evolution, the appointments strengthen Horizon’s competitive advantage, embed AI into the agency’s core training infrastructure, and bring human intelligence to the forefront.

By aligning talent acquisition, learning and development, and belonging within a unified workforce strategy, Horizon reinforces its position as a true growth partner — reimagining the optimal talent mix, skill sets, and organizational structure required to drive business transformation, operational efficiency, and measurable impact for clients.

In her expanded role, Novikova oversees enterprise-wide talent acquisition and learning and development, connecting hiring strategy with professional growth and company transformation. Previously Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Learning, her advancement reflects broader leadership across the full employee lifecycle, from early careers through executive recruitment and comprehensive training programs. Consolidating recruitment and development under a single strategic function enhances Horizon’s ability to anticipate skills gaps, adapt to industry change, and scale internal capabilities that translate directly into stronger client outcomes.

Over the past year, Novikova has led a comprehensive AI upskilling initiative centered on Blu, Horizon’s proprietary connected marketing intelligence platform, embedding AI education across the business. She also played a key role in selecting SectionAI as Horizon’s AI enablement partner, supporting company-wide education and capability building. Her team also oversees certification and professional development programs that ensure employees build capabilities aligned to client and partner ecosystems.

Winfrey, a 17-year industry veteran, expands her leadership as Senior Vice President, DEI & Belonging. Recognized for building scalable, data-driven programs with measurable impact, Winfrey strengthens accountability while translating workforce insights into clear, actionable strategies that enhance both culture and performance. Under her leadership, Horizon earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for two consecutive years and was named an Equality 100 Leader in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion. She also led the development of a competency-based framework that provides a transparent and structured roadmap for employee growth and career advancement.

With a foundation in media strategy, client service, and business leadership, Winfrey brings a disciplined, operational lens to culture transformation. She and her team of dedicated DEI & Belonging practitioners ensure inclusion is fully integrated into how Horizon hires, develops, and advances talent, aligning people strategy with business objectives and reinforcing the connection between belonging, innovation, and long-term performance. In partnership with Employee Impact Groups, business leaders, and the broader community, she ensures DEI commitments translate into measurable, lasting impact — a shared responsibility across the organization.

Operating as peer leaders within Talent and Culture, Novikova and Winfrey partner closely to align recruitment, skilling, and belonging initiatives. Their collaboration ensures that market insights inform training strategy, development pathways evolve alongside industry demands, and inclusion remains integral to Horizon’s business model.

“These promotions reflect our conviction that business performance and people strategy are inseparable,” said Nancy Galanty, EVP, Talent and Culture, Horizon Media. “Aleks and Fatima are shaping a workforce model that is future ready, operationally strong, and grounded in belonging, positioning Horizon to lead in a rapidly evolving media landscape.”

Together, these leadership advancements reflect Horizon continued investment in empowering female leaders and building an organization designed to meet evolving client and talent needs.

Editor’s Note: As noted above, Fatima Winfrey is rejoining Horizon Media, and while many companies do not make an issue of boomerangs, Horizon Media is putting them center stage in a LinkedIn video series. Nine Horizon professionals will share their stories – why they left, what they learned, and what made them come back. You can see Fatima’s story here.

About Horizon Media Holdings

Horizon Media Holdings is the privately-held parent company of Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency and the largest independent globally, with additional portfolio companies including – Horizon Next (full-service marketing); Horizon Commerce (commerce and digital experiences); Horizon Business (consulting, media and creative); One Horizon (full-service advertising); HS&E (sports and experiential); and Blue Hour Studios (influencer agency). Horizon Media Holdings has a 50/50 partnership with Havas Media Network in the performance-driven agency network, Horizon Global. Horizon Holdings drives enterprise-level innovation, fosters collaboration across its portfolio, and explores new growth opportunities and technology solutions to help its clients navigate the shifting marketing challenges of today and tomorrow.