Lyric Opera of Chicago announces Paul Gunning as new VP & Chief Marketing Officer

A new addition to Lyric Opera of Chicago

CHICAGO, IL (11/03/2021) – The leadership team at Lyric Opera of Chicago is pleased to announce that Paul Gunning will join the company as its new vice president and chief marketing officer. Gunning comes to Lyric after retiring from a successful career at DDB Worldwide, one of the world's largest marketing communications networks.

"Paul Gunning brings fresh strategic insights from the corporate world to the nonprofit arts arena at a time when we are redoubling our efforts to bring new audiences to opera," says Anthony Freud, Lyric's general director, president & CEO. "Like everyone at Lyric, Paul believes in continuing to build a strong future for the company and the importance of the arts in contributing to a city's cultural and economic vibrancy. His 30-year connection to Chicago will help us expand our outreach to communities throughout the city, the greater Chicagoland region, and the global opera world at large. We are looking forward to Paul joining the company and benefitting from his market knowledge and skills in this key role."

Paul Gunning's career includes more than 20 years within the DDB Worldwide network of advertising and marketing agencies. He most recently served more than seven years as president and chief operating officer of DDB U.S., overseeing a portfolio of $200 million and with full managerial and operational oversight of more than 600 employees in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and St Louis. He managed integrated marketing campaigns for clients as diverse as McDonald's, The Field Museum, American Cancer Society, and State Farm. Previously, he spent 13 years at DDB's Tribal Worldwide, one of the world's largest digital marketing agency networks, including five years as its chief executive officer. He holds an MBA in marketing from DePaul University and a bachelor's degree from The College of Wooster.

The nationwide search for Lyric's new vice president and chief marketing officer was conducted by Russell Reynolds Associates. Gunning, 51, begins his new role on November 8, 2021.

About Lyric

Lyric Opera of Chicago is where the world sings — and where Chicago comes alive.

Under the leadership of General Director, President & CEO John Mangum and Music Director Enrique Mazzola, Lyric stands at the intersection of artistic excellence and civic purpose, harnessing the full power of opera — voice, orchestra, stagecraft, and story — to illuminate the questions, emotions, and experiences that define us as human beings. Nearly 75 seasons of world-class performances have made Lyric one of the greatest opera companies in the world. What drives us now is what has always driven us: the belief that this art form, at its best, can move people in ways nothing else can.

Lyric is also Chicago’s partner — in its neighborhoods, its schools, and its communities — through education, engagement, and a relentless commitment to making opera accessible, relevant, and irresistible to everyone. At the heart of that commitment is The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, which trains the artists who will carry this art form into its future. Every night when the curtain rises, Lyric reminds this city — and the world — why live performance still matters.

Lyric Opera of Chicago doesn’t just present opera, it redefines what opera can be. It’s where Chicago comes to be moved, inspired, and connected.

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