Lucia Grillo has been promoted to U.S. chief operating officer for mcgarrybowen. Grillo joined the agency as head of operations only a year ago to oversee operations across the agency’s three U.S.-based offices: New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. In her elevated role, she will take on responsibilities for resource and project management, finance, and process in support of developing a world-class creative product for clients.
Grillo will report to Jon Dupuis, who was recently installed as mcgarrybowen’s first global president, and where he is running the global American Express account since the agency won the business two years ago.
Dupuis said. “In only a year, Lucia made a tremendous impact on bringing efficiency to our operations. Her approach was never about doing more with less, rather in finding the best ways to champion great work for our clients. She has brought value in creating excellence in how we work to drive excellence in what we create.”
Grillo joined mcgarrybowen last year from Droga5 where she was the production development director, working to create new process and working models across departments at the agency. Prior to that, she worked for sibling Dentsu agency 360i, where she was head of integrated production. Earlier, Grillo worked at VICE Media, spent 10 years as managing director of Psyop in NY, and got her start in the production department of McCann.
Grillo said, “Our clients come to mcgarrybowen for our strategic thinking and creative excellence, so everything we do, whether it’s process, workflow, etc. should serve that goal and that goal alone. For the past year, we’ve looked at what we do best across offices, and we’ve worked to optimize that, and now we look forward to taking the effort to the next level.”
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this yearโs AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckisโ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwoodโs Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
โAt the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,โ said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. โWe look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.โ
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraรญn, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the worldโs most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More