Andrea Diquez has joined DDB Chicago as CEO. She will report directly to DDB North America CEO Justin Thomas-Copeland and oversee all aspects of the business for DDB’s largest North American office.
“Andrea is bringing an incredible set of skills and experience to DDB Chicago,” said Thomas-Copeland. “She is landing at DDB during an incredible time for our agency, but also at an amazing time in her career. She will become our first female CEO in Chicago, an office with a history of explosive growth and creativity. These are characteristics which Andrea innately brings through her leadership style and outlook. She combines creativity and connected thinking to deliver the unexpected to clients and spark growth.”
Originally from Venezuela, Diquez has spent the majority of her over 25-year career in New York, most recently serving as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi NY. Under her leadership the office experienced a period of significant transformation, growth and industry recognition that included numerous creative and effectiveness awards.
Diquez said, “DDB is famous for its creativity and I’m excited to infuse that creative spirit into every part of the business. I am drawn to DDB’s new ambition that combines creativity and connection to drive relevance, unlock audiences and ultimately grow our clients’ business in unexpected ways. I believe this will be a winning combination to continue the growth of DDB Chicago, too.”
An ADCOLOR Champion award recipient, Diquez understands that diversity is critical in growing business and bringing creativity to clients. Throughout her career, Diquez has effectively built highly diverse teams that deliver powerful creative solutions for complex business challenges.
“Andrea will put DDB on a new trajectory,” said Thomas-Copeland. “We are honored to have such a progressive, creatively minded and inspiring leader join our ranks. We look forward to Andrea sparking growth for our clients, their brands and also for our business.”
Changes Afoot For Cannes Lions 2025, Including Increasing Festival Access For Underserved Communities
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is putting plans in motion for its 72nd edition, set to take place from June 16-20, 2025 in Cannes, France. The Festival has announced that it will double funding to provide €2m (some $2,150,000) worth of complimentary passes to underrepresented talent and underserved communities through its Equity, Representation and Accessibility (ERA) Pass, returning for a second year.
Frank Starling, chief DEI officer, Lions, said the increased investment was “crucial to continue to drive progress for both Cannes Lions and the industry.” Starling added, “The ERA pass plays an important role in fostering a global representation of talent within the creative communications industry at Cannes Lions, and to date our funded opportunities have reached creatives in 46 countries globally. With the Festival being the destination for everyone in the business of creativity, we recognize the importance of creating equitable access to it, and this is why we’re prioritizing increased representation from the Global South to support a greater range of voices and perspectives from the region at the Festival.” Applications for the ERA pass are open now and close on December 5, 2025. More details can be found here.
With submissions into the Cannes Lions Awards opening on January 16, 2025, innovations to the Awards have also been announced today. Glass: The Lion for Change celebrates 10 years since its introduction. The Glass Lion was launched to champion work that used creativity to drive a shift towards more positive, progressive and gender-aware communication, and Marian Brannelly, global... Read More