VMLY&R has announced its creative leadership team. The announcement follows the unification of VML and Y&R to create a new brand experience agency, VMLY&R.
VMLY&R’s creative organization will be led by Global Chief Creative Officer Debbi Vandeven, who was previously Global CCO of VML. Vandeven is one of very few female global chief creative officers in the industry. She will lead more than 2,000 creatives across the world. Vandeven will report to Jon Cook, VMLY&R Global CEO.
John Godsey and Jason Xenopoulos have been appointed CCOs of VMLY&R North America.
Godsey served as North American Chief Creative Officer at VML since January 2017. He will reside in the principal office of Kansas City.
In addition to his new role as North America CCO, Xenopoulos will serve as CEO of VMLY&R New York. He previously served as CCO, EMEA, based out of VML South Africa’s office in Cape Town. He will reside in the principal office of New York.
Jaime Mandelbaum has been named Regional CCO of Europe. He has served as Chief Creative Officer of Y&R Europe since January 2016.
Martin “Nino” Goldberg has been named Regional CCO of LATAM. He will continue to serve as regional CCO of LATAM and Executive Creative Director for Telefónica and Movistar globally. In addition, he will continue his role as CCO of Dhélet VMLY&R, a creative boutique based in Argentina that serves both local and global WPP projects.
Paul Nagy has been named Regional CCO of Australia and New Zealand.
Ryan McManus has been named Regional CCO, South Africa.
Kalpesh Patankar has been named Regional CCO, Middle East and North Africa. He previously served as Regional Executive Creative Director of Middle East and North Africa, based in Dubai.
In 2018 he was named among the top 10 Global Agency Leaders by Adweek. Patankar has been one of the most effective and awarded creatives in the region. He has created celebrated work for Coca-Cola, Harvey Nichols, Landrover, Colgate and many others. Before joining the agency, he led creative in Asia with Saatchi & Saatchi Mumbai and Ogilvy Singapore. At Ogilvy Singapore he worked on DBS, the largest bank in the region, and at Saatchi & Saatchi his work for Ariel made him the No.1 ranked creative in India and helped the agency become the most awarded in 2000. At Cannes Lions, he helped Y&R EMEA become Regional Network of the Year in 2017 and the 4th most creative agency in 2013.
VMLY&R is actively recruiting a regional CCO in Asia.
