DAVID has hired Daniel Lobatón as its first chief creative officer of North America, a newly-created position. He will oversee North American offices, DAVID Miami and DAVID New York and joins from Rethink New York where he has been CCO for the last two years.
Lobatón will oversee creative operations to maintain the high standard of David’s signature business-driving ideas and foster new creative opportunities and growth for the agency in North America. He will work from the DAVID New York office and report to global chief creative officer, Pancho Cassis and co-founder and chairman, Fernando Musa.
“We are thrilled to have Daniel leading the growth of DAVID in the USA during such a pivotal moment for the advertising industry. His experience in the market and extraordinary track record will elevate our work and reinforce our belief that creativity is the lifeblood of our clients’ businesses,” stated Fernando Musa, partner, co-founder & chairman, DAVID. “As the market undergoes significant changes, his leadership will be instrumental in navigating these shifts and driving innovation to our clients.”
At Rethink, Lobatón led the agency’s move from Canada to the US, helping it to win Independent Network of the Year at Cannes Lions, with multiple wins for Kraft-Heinz as well as new clients such as Uber Eats and Epidemic Sound among others. He has also been CCO & co-president of Saatchi & Saatchi New York, leading a five-year streak of growth and wins with P&G’s Tide brand. Before that, he worked in VML in Kansas City, LatinWorks in Austin, Texas and Y&R in his hometown Lima, Perú. He has received hundreds of accolades from Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio Awards, and an Emmy Nomination for his famous It’s a Tide Ad.
“Daniel is one of the most relevant creative leaders in the U.S., and his addition to DAVID marks an exciting new chapter for us. His creative vision and business accomplishments with big American clients are exactly what we need to drive our growth even further in the market. With Daniel on board, DAVID continues to bet on the power of diversity to deliver memorable and impactful work that builds brands into pop culture and helps us be one of the most diverse, creative, and effective agencies in North America,” stated Pancho Cassis, partner & global CCO, DAVID.
The appointment marks a new phase of growth for DAVID in North America. With only two years in business, the agency’s New York office has established itself as a competitive newcomer in the US market, having achieved remarkable growth and several top industry honours for for global brands such as Clif Bar (Mondelez), Clash of Clans (Supercell), AB InBev, and Burger King global. At the same time, DAVID Miami continues to prove itself as one of the best creative shops in the world with its work for clients such as Google Android, Netflix, Pennington, AB InBev, and new projects for Coca-Cola. DAVID New York and DAVID Miami will continue to be led by the local chief creative officers, André Toledo and Edgard Gianesi, respectively.
“DAVID has a tremendous legacy of breakthrough creativity that moves business for iconic brands. In a way, most of the work we celebrate today was built from the DAVID blueprint. Pancho, Musa, and I have been talking about this possibility for years, and this seems like the perfect moment. The DAVID New York and DAVID Miami teams are made up of some of the most talented people in the industry, and I can’t wait to get started,” Lobatón stated.
Lobatón will divide his time between Miami and New York but will be based in the agency’s newly opened office in the famous Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The Refinery at Domino is a 19th-century factory renovated as a striking office space while maintaining its status as an icon of the Brooklyn waterfront. The physical space will enable strong human connections within the DAVID team and with current and potential clients and serve as a place for the DAVID team to be inspired and engaged.
DAVID, which is a part of WPP and Ogilvy’s global creative network, now has six offices worldwide – New York, Miami, Madrid, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Bogota. DAVID’s worldwide staff represents 25 countries.
Cover image l-r: Pancho Cassis, Daniel Lobatón & Fernando Musa
