DESIGN
Joao Coutinho
★ President
Creative Director
Grey New York
U.S.A.
Worked in Portugal, Spain, Brazil and United States, has been honored to work for global andd local brands such as Volvo, Canon, United Nations, Audi, Coca Cola, Vodafone, Burger King, Unilever, Philips, Bosch, P&G, United States United to Prevent Gun Violence, among others.
He believes that his role in the industry goes beyond selling products, like in the old days. Feels advertisers have the power of changing people’s lives for better, and is happy working with clients who share the same believe.
In 2013 Joao was ranked among the Top 10 Art Directors in the world according to The Cannes Report 2013. Since 2014,joined Grey and helped the office to become for 2 years in a row to be the second most awarded agency in the world at Cannes, with a total of 21 lions (14 in 2015 and 7 in 2016).
Joao likes to work with people that enjoy to make fun of themselves, because having fun is key to do outstanding work. Talent alone doesn’t get you anywhere.
Fernando Gonzalez
General DirectorHe is currently managing Solutions Group SA, an advertising consulting firm (point of sale). He is an Industrial Engineer with studies in marketing, strategic planning and international business at Harvard University, American Management Association and Suffolk University in the United States.
He has served as General Manager and Marketing Manager of pharmaceutical and consumer companies, with regional responsibilities on the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) and as an expert in marketing with responsibilities for Latin America.
During his professional career and as a columnist for different publications, he has positioned the concepts of Point of Purchase Advertising (POPA), Consumer Activation Merchandising (CAM). Thus, in the last years he has used his experience in the implementation of innovation strategies.
Leo Vinkovic
Founder and Creative Director
Co-founder and Creative Director
Studio 33
CROATIA
Branding strategist and winning designer with a Master’s Degree in Visual Communication (School of Design, Zagreb-Croatia). With a career spanning over more than 8 years, Leo has gained experience as a freelance designer, an agency designer and a co-founder of his own agency.
As a designer, Leo has worked on various projects of visual communication, from branding and visual identity (corporate and non-corporate), editorial design, book design to art direction and conceptual design. Leo Vinkovic has exhibited his works in numerous exhibitions and was awarded for his work in the field of branding and visual identity.
In November 2014 Leo started a design agency “Studio 33” with his business partner Igor Penovic where he performs the function of the creative director and designer, specializing in projects of branding, visual identity and packaging design.
Besides working in the design industry, Leo is the organizer of the world-known creative presentations event “PechaKucha Nights” in Osijek.
Luis Marques
CEO
GM&A
PORTUGAL
Founder and owner of the GM&A Group, currently Creative Director and Senior Account Manager of this agency, over the last 19 years. Working with multidisciplinary teams, for clients such as: Hugo Boss, Phillips, Group Advini, Paul Mas, Heineken, Chevrolet, Tourism of Spain, Sagres, Amorim Cork, Polaris Iberia, Blackjack Wheels and Miranda Bike Parts.
In the past 4 years, they launched their operation internationally. He went to Angola as CEO and Senior Account Manager, to start his branch agency for the African market, Red Fox – Angola. During this period, they have worked with some of the most relevant Brands in África: South African Tourism, Banco Atlântico, Exxon Mobil, Novagrolider, Deskontão and Standard Bank.
Nowadays their operation is based in two continents, but their creativity sets place around the globe, France, USA, India, South Africa and Brasil.
M&A Group has been winner in festivals such as: WINA 2016 Bronze – Convento da Glória – Caves da Montanha (Packaging for Alcoholic Drinks). WINA 2016 Silver – Gama de vinhos Curvos (Packaging for Alcoholic Drinks) e Lavradores de Feitora (Corporate image). GERMAN DESIGN AWARD 2016 Special Mention – (Packaging for Alcoholic Drinks) Alfeu Douro DOC Wine.
David Espluga
Creative DirectorFounder and Creative Director at espluga+associates has a degree in Industrial Psychology (Barcelona University) and in Graphic Design by Llotja (Barcelona).
He has worked at Associate Designers, Bassat Ogilvy & Mather, Wieden & Kennedy and Leagas Delaney (London) before founding his own company in 1992.
Since 1992, espluga+associates have been awarded up to 90 times national and internationally in different disciplines. David has been jury member in numerous festivals, and has more than 400 projects published in specialized books.
Currently David is a professor of Master of Information Design at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) and Master in Packaging Design Elisava two of the most prestigious design schools in Spain.