W+K adds Eduardo Lima to São Paulo team
Independent Wieden+Kennedy has announced the appointment of Eduardo Lima as executive creative director, adding the final piece to the executive team that includes Renato Simões, executive creative director, and André Gustavo, managing director.
“Edu has had one of the most brilliant and consistent careers in the industry to date. Like W+K, Eduardo has always put work first. We are very happy to welcome him back to Brazil – and to Wieden,” said Simões.
Added Gustavo, "Edu’s arrival is a great validation of W+K SP's current path. We are working with some of the best talent and best clients, those who believe that great creative work makes the difference for their brands and their business. Now our agency’s leadership is complete, and we will continue to focus on the quality of our work.”
Lima, for the past year, has been living in Los Angeles, working on his own projects and taking a sabbatical after an esteemed stretch as general creative director at F/Nazca S&S, where he worked for 21 years, earning top awards including the first Grand Prix at Cannes for Brazil in the video category. He sees this stop as the challenge that has been missing in his impressive career.
“I think my love story with advertising is ongoing,” said Lima. “I just took a short break to catch my breath. The whole process with W+K was wonderful, both with André and Renato and also with Colleen (DeCourcy, global executive creative director) and Dave (Luhr, W+K President) in Portland. The icing on the cake was having the honor of spending an hour with Dan Wieden (cofounder and chairman), who taught me a lesson in humanity. W+K’s independence, philosophy, and its obsessive search for creativity has a lot in common with what I believe to be the best route to follow. I will continue fighting for high quality work, now flying the W+K flag.”
The Brazilian outpost, the newest office of the Portland-based agency, has performed well, capturing a slew of global awards and new clients.
“We are so extremely proud of what we've accomplished in São Paulo in six short years: progressive creative work in TV and digital, significant business growth, strong client partnerships, and an inspiring office culture,” commented DeCourcy. “Edu is not only a proven creative force, he is a fitting spiritual leader for the continuation of this journey. I could not be happier than to have Renato Simões and Eduardo Lima representing Wieden creativity in Brazil.”
Lima starts in his new role in August.