Following the merger of VML and Y&R resulting to a new brand experience agency, VMLY&R, the formed agency announced changes to its creative leadership in a global scale.
Tony Granger is stepping down as Y&R Global CCO and will retire. In a statement, Granger said, “Now is a perfect moment for me to retire…We’ve built a truly collaborative global creative community, and finally breaking down the walls between Y&R and VML. After 37 years in the business, I’m eager to pick up my guitar again and get these very rusty fingers going. I’ll warn my neighbors, it’s going to be loud.”
Granger began his career in South Africa, leading TBWA/Hunt Lascaris. He then transferred to New York to work for Bozell. After his stint at Saatchi & Saatchi London, he became Saatchi’s New York CCO. In 2008, he joined Y&R as global CCO.
Former VML Global Chief Creative Officer Debbi Vandeven is now the global CCO for the combined agency. Vandeven stands as 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.
In an announcement on VML.com, Vandeven said, “I’m excited to bring the creative energy of our two agencies, and this tenured team of talent from across the globe, together to create powerful and culturally relevant work for our client partners.”
“Since joining VML in 2000, Debbi has fostered a collaborative creative environment that delivers innovative work driven by inspiring connections across the connected consumer experience for clients around the world,” Cook said. “Under her leadership, VML experienced unprecedented award recognition, including being named Cannes Lions Entertainment Agency of the Year two years in a row. She will, undoubtedly, continue that momentum in her new role.”
In 2018, together VML and Y&R won 65 Lions, with VML earning top 10 rankings in the US, North America and globally. Other recognitions include ANDY Awards, Art Directors Club, CLIO Awards, Effie Awards, Facebook Awards, London International Awards, New York Festivals, One Show, Spikes Asia, Webby Awards and more. Under Vandeven’s leadership, VML was named on the 2018, 2017 and 2016 Ad Age Agency A-Lists.
Vandeven has been honored on Adweek’s Creative 100 and Business Insider’s “30 Most Creative People in Advertising” 2016 list.
Chief creative duties for North America will be shared between John Godsey, VML’s former North American CCO, and Jason Xenopoulos, previously CEO and CCO of VML South Africa.
Godsey has been the North American Chief Creative Officer at VML since January 2017.In his 25 years of experience in building brands, he was able to work for FCB-Chicago and JWT-Detroit. In 2010, Godsey joined VML where he helped win the agency’s first Cannes Lion in 2012. In 2018, VML landed in the top 10 globally at Cannes where Godsey’s film, “It All Begins with a Song,” helped VML in being named Cannes Entertainment Agency of the Year for the second year in a row.
Xenopoulos, on the other hand, 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. His leadership helped grow the agency’s creative reputation in South Africa and on the global stage. He helped lead VML South Africa to win a host of local and international awards, including VML being awarded Cannes Entertainment Agency of the Year in 2017, largely because of work for Absolut Vodka.
Jaime Mandelbaum has been appointed as Regional CCO of Europe. He has served as Chief Creative Officer of Y&R Europe since January 2016. Under his leadership, Y&R brought home the first and second Gold Cannes Lions for the Czech Republic as well as the first Grand Prix for Turkey in 2015. Y&R EMEA ranked #1 regional network of the year at Cannes Lions 2017. He has worked across three continents with top global brands like Adidas, Absolut Vodka, Bel, BBC, BMW,, Coca-Cola, Danone, Forbes, Harley Davidson, Marks & Spencer, Nike, Playstation, Volvic and Vodafone.
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 Telefonica and Movistar globally. He will also continue his role as CCO of Dhelet VMLY&R, a creative boutique based in Argentina that serves both local and global WPP projects. Prior to joining Y&R, Goldberg worked at Lowe, DDB, McCann and TBWA. Throughout his career, he has led communications for global brands such as Coca-Cola, Danone, Visa, Colgate, The International Olympic Committee, Red Cross and Unilever, among others.
Paul Nagy steps up as the Regional CCO of Australia and New Zealand. He has more than 20 years of experience leading international agencies and brands. He has been awarded gold at all major international award shows – including Cannes, Award and the Effies – and his work has been included in WARC’s “100 Smartest Marketing Campaigns In The World” in 2014, the “Best of the Best” award at AIMIA and B&T’s Campaign of the Year in 2015 for Dolmio “Pepper Hacker.” This year for Y&R, he has won gold at Cannes AdStars, and the London International Awards, in addition to a Grand Prix at Spikes Asia.
Ryan McManus has been designated as Regional CCO, South Africa. Under his leadership, VML South Africa experienced phenomenal growth and climbed the creative rankings, including being named Entertainment Agency of the Year at Cannes 2017 and Bookmarks Agency of the Year 2016 and 2014. He has been recognized numerous times at Cannes Lions, D&AD, Loeries, One Show, Art Directors Club, Effie Awards, New York Festivals and more, and brings a plethora of global experience and clear purpose into his work, having travelled and worked across some of the world’s top agencies.
Kalpesh Patankar is now the Regional CCO of the 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.
