DUBAI, UAE — Federico Fanti has joined FP7McCann MENAT as Chief Creative Officer. He will report to FP7McCann MENAT CEO Tarek Miknas and be the creative voice of the agency.
Fanti, who started his career at McCann Milan, brings more than 20 years of cross-market experience to the role, and joins FP7McCann from BBDO Guerrero in the Philippines.
At BBDO Guerrero, Federico was responsible for the creative output across all the agency’s brands including Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, MARS, and Red Ribbon. Whilst leading an impressive creative transformation for the agency, he was also recognized to be among the world’s top 10 Executive Creative Directors by the Best Ads Rankings in 2020.
Prior to BBDO Guerrero, Federico led Y&R Moscow for 5 years and was behind the agency winning their first-ever Cannes Lion in 2013 (winning a total of 10 Lions in five years); again, transforming the agency to become the most awarded in Russia.
Tarek Miknas, CEO of FP7McCann MENAT, said “We looked far and wide and took all the time we needed to get the right person for the job. Beyond Federico’s impressive work and list of 100+ accolades across industry shows like the Cannes Lions, Epica, D&AD, LIA, Clio, Euorbest, The One Show, and Spikes, it was a combination of his ability to transform two agencies into creative stardom, his ambition and his attitude that were the driving forces for me to welcome him into our family.”
Federico comments, “I’ve always been profoundly fascinated by the charm of this region. This portion of the world is full of contrasts and interesting cultural shades that makes the Middle East a very compelling place to live in. It’s a great honor to be a part of the FP7Mccann family. The creative ambition, the drive for excellence, and the human emanation here are the key reasons that validated my decision to move to the agency and to the region. The other fundamental perk at FP7McCann is the goal to create work that has a positive impact on our world. I have always believed that today, more than ever, advertisers have the moral obligation to help our society with our work because ultimately our job is not only about creating ads to sell, but also creating ads to serve. Whether it’s diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility or any other social issue, consumers want to know where we stand, and more importantly, what we are doing about it. For all the above reasons, I truly believe I am in the right place in the right time.”
Outside of the office, Federico is a keen photographer. He is also passionate about inspiring and nurturing young talent. He was a Professor in Design and Art Direction, both in Moscow and in Milan, and looks to give back to the local industry by doing something similar in our region.
