Renée Lavecchia has been promoted to executive director of VMLY&R Miami. She will be responsible for driving the growth of the agency through the expansion of its client portfolio in addition to overseeing the Miami operation. In her new role, she will report to Eric Campbell, global president, VMLY&R, and join the North America executive leadership team.
As part of her appointment to executive director, Lavecchia will maintain her current responsibilities overseeing client engagement in Miami for Wendy’s, Dell, Apex Tool Group and more. In addition to her client engagement responsibilities, Lavecchia serves on the WPP Global Inclusion Council representing VMLY&R, which is helping to shape the inclusion practices across the holding company. In addition to her executive responsibilities, she has led the Wendy’s client partnership for the U.S. Hispanic market for the past 11-plus years.
With more than 130 employees from over 20 countries, VMLY&R Miami is a multicultural office, partnering with clients to deliver the connected brand experience across the U.S. market at large and the growing U.S. Hispanic market, extending across Latin America and beyond. Over the past year, VMLY&R Miami has grown its client portfolio with the addition of GSK and the Coca Cola Company’s brands.
The U.S. Hispanic market is the driving force behind the growing multicultural face of America. With a population of 62 million, Hispanics make up almost 19% of the U.S. population, contributing to more than half of the total population growth over the past 10 years and skyrocketing in buying power. Hispanic buying power is projected to be $2.6 trillion in just about three years, representing a nearly 150% increase in the last decade. (Source: Hispanic Market Guide 2022, Hispanic Marketing Council)
“VMLY&R Miami feels like my second home, as I’ve been with the agency since its inception,” said Lavecchia. “I am looking forward to continuing being a trusted partner for our clients in this growing market.”
Lavecchia is a citizen of the world. She was born and raised in Panama, earned her Associate of Arts degree at the American College of Switzerland, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in international marketing at American University in Washington, D.C., and an MBA at the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
