Olavarrieta joins d expósito & Partners as Partner & CCO

HispanicAd.com has learned that Paco Olavarrieta, the award-winning creative leader and a trailblazer in both the U.S. Hispanic Market and the multicultural arena, has been named a new partner and Chief Creative Officer at independent agency d expósito & Partners, LLC.

In a joint announcement released in New York by Daisy Expósito-Ulla, Chairman/CEO, and Jorge Ulla, Chief Ideation Officer, both founders of the agency launched eleven years ago, Olavarrieta is described as “a bold visionary with whom we share an instinct for constant renewal, an inspired game-changer with a proven record, and an entrepreneurial spirit, whose creativity has a winning zest to find the destination beyond.”

“Paco is here to ignite creative excitement in all our disciplines and to mine and expand the strategic vision for clients in an industry of accelerated and constant transformation,” the statement added. Olavarrieta —who prefers to be called Paco, aware of how difficult it is for those who don’t speak Spanish to pronounce his last name— had previously been at Dieste until December 2016. Prior to Dieste, he had a most notable career during which he had led his own creative shop, Olé. He also held the top creative post at The Vidal Partnership during its heyday, and worked at the award-winning Del Rivero Messianú (now ALMA DDB), where he had begun his U.S. career upon his arrival from Mexico, his country of origin, where  he started as a copywriter for Leo Burnett.

During his career in the U.S. Hispanic Market he has been recognized as one of the innovative leading forces among a distinguished group of award-winning creatives. His campaigns have garnered various prizes, among them, CLIO, Cannes Lions and the Ojo de Iberoamerica.

Talking about this new position, Olavarrieta called it “the right challenge at the right time, and in the right city.” “I’ve known Daisy not only as an icon of the U.S. Hispanic Market but also as a friend. The same goes for Jorge, beyond filmmaker or anything. We share views, values, a sense of humor and a vision for solid and compelling communication,” he said. “But what stood out from our conversations, as I was making my decision, was that both of them mentioned and emphasized that they now wanted to daringly move the communication of an already successful agency from efficient to exciting, and that’s, to me, what will make it fun!,” concluded Olavarrieta.

An exclusive interview with Paco Olavarrieta will appear in tomorrow’s weekend/Monday edition of HispanicAd.com.

d expósito & Partners, based in New York City, was named the 2015 Agency of the Year by the Advertising Educational Foundation, a first both for a Hispanic and an independent agency. It has also been recognized for Strategic Excellence, on two occasions, with the coveted Ogilvy Award.  The agency uses the moniker The New American Agency™.