Dallas independent creative agency, LERMA/, has appointed Paco Conde as its first chief creative officer since it was founded in 2008.

Conde brings his global career experience as a creative leader in top agencies in Europe, North and South America. He has been behind some of advertising’s most culturally resonant and impactful campaigns, from Dove Real Beauty Sketches and Sport Club Recife Immortal Fans to Ally Bank’s Watch the Game. Change the Game., that brought women’s soccer to primetime for the first time in the US, and the UNDP’s Don’t Choose Extinction which helped put fossil-fuel subsidies on the COP agenda.

He has worked in award-winning agencies, including Ogilvy Brazil, BBH London, and Anomaly Los Angeles. In 2018, he co-founded Activista with alongside Carl Johnson and Beto Fernández, a creative agency rooted in the belief that creativity has the power to shift culture, spark change, and grow business through meaningful impact. Under his leadership, Activista earned Ad Age’s Purpose-Driven Small Agency of the Year (2023) and was recognised by Fast Company for multiple World Changing Ideas.

During his career, Conde has earned nearly every major international accolade in advertising including Cannes Lions Titanium Grand Prix, Promo Grand Prix, 65 Cannes Lions, Best of Category at The One Show, and multiple D&AD Yellow Pencils. He was recognised by Forbes as one of the 100 Most Creative People in the World and ranked among Cannes Lions’ Most Awarded Creative Directors for three consecutive years.

“Bringing Paco on board marks an exciting new era for LERMA/. His passion for creativity that makes a difference perfectly aligns with our mission to create work that moves people and culture,” stated Pedro Lerma, founder & CEO of LERMA/.

Conde will shape the agency’s creative vision and culture, overseeing all client accounts and new business efforts. LERMA/ has gained national recognition for campaigns such as He Gets Us and Avocados From Mexico, earning distinctions including Ad Age A-List Standout and Adweek Fastest Growing Agency.

“From my very first conversation with Pedro Lerma, the chemistry was there,” Conde stated. “I admire what he’s built and his vision for LERMA/. The agency has real momentum — creatively and culturally. LERMA/ represents the new wave of independent shops that move fast, stay free, and never ask for permission.”

Conde describes himself as a “truth hunter,” believing that creativity rooted in human truth is advertising’s most powerful weapon. “I can’t wait to work with LERMA/ to push the boundaries of creativity in all its forms, making work people care about, talk about, and share to build deep, meaningful brand–audience connections.”