The Monkeys has announced the appointment of Leo’s executive creative Director Vince Lagana who is set to start in June.

At Leo Burnett Sydney, Lagana helped to create the globally awarded Coke Small World Machines, Bundaberg Rum’s Road to Recovery, and Samsung’s S-Drive, LifeLIVE, BrainBAND and Pocket Patrol initiatives.

Lagana said of his appointment: “It’s time for me to follow a fresh path and I’m excited to be joining one of the best and most progressive advertising brands in the country. I have a huge amount of respect for what The Monkeys has achieved and I can’t wait to help lead and drive its creative product even further into the future.”  

Recently ranked by The One Club as amoungst the top 10 creative directors in the world, Lagana has established an impressive reputation as a creative director and art director, including two-years as Associate Creative Director at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, and previously as Creative Group Head at Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney.

His work for brands such as Coca-Cola, Diageo, Lion Nathan, Toyota, Canon, Sony, WWF and Samsung has won hundreds of awards, including over 40 Cannes Lions and multiple D&AD Pencils. During his time at Leo Burnett, the agency was ranked in the top 10 creative companies in the world, twice by the Gunn Report, and in 2017, was named AFR’s 4th Most Innovative Company in Australia.

“I’m incredible grateful for my time at Leo Burnett,” says Lagana. “The culture and people is what makes the place truly unique and the support I’ve been shown over the years from Mark Tutssel and the Australian management team has helped me grow as a creative leader. I leave Leo’s knowing the future is bright and under the creative leadership of Grant McAloon, the agency will continue to thrive.”

Adds The Monkeys Cofounder and Group Chief Creative Officer, Justin Drape: “Vinnie’s a talented leader and a true gentleman. He makes the people around him better so he will be an integral part of our plans moving forward and Scott Nowell, Mark Green and I are all looking forward to working with him again, having done so many moons ago before starting The Monkeys.”

Melinda Geertz, CEO Leo Burnett Australia, also said: “Vinnie has been with Leo Burnett for six years, and in that time, he’s been prolific, helping us create some of our most award-winning, world class work.  We’re grateful for his love of creativity, his passion for brilliant ideas and his incredible dedication to design and craft. We’re also grateful for his friendship. Vinnie is a person with decency, generosity and kindness in abundance, and we’ll miss him. All of us at Leo Burnett wish him the very best.”