Rod Sobral

Rod is a Brazilian born and British naturalised creative obsessed with culture, storytelling and technology. He's one of the most award-winning leaders in the marketing world. His work has been recognised by every major industry award including been consecutively named amongst the Top 20 Creative Directors in the UK and Brazil. Over the last two decades, he helped to build some of the world's most creative agencies while creating culture-defining ideas for brands like Beats, Nike, Google, Heineken, Audi and Unilever, to name a few. He started his career at the age of 15 as a skateboarder and art director in São Paulo. The same city where he eventually founded his agency, Loo/SP, which went to become one of the most creative agencies in his country between 2004/05. Rod left Brazil in 2005 spending most of his career between the UK, Netherlands and the USA. He helped to build AKQA's creative reputation with his body of work earning the agency its first Cannes Titanium Lion, Yellow pencils and six other Grands Prix. In 2010, he partnered with The Mill and founded their creative shop which was nominated BIMA's 2012 Agency Of The Year after only two years of operation. Rod was named R/GA London's vice-president ECD in 2013. Under his leadership and vision, the agency had its creative golden era - tripling in size and winning over 200 creative awards internationally, including numerous Grands Prix, Cannes Lions, D&AD Pencils, Clios and consecutive Agency Of The Year titles. His work for Beats by Dr Dre attracted international press attention and was pivotal on building the brand's voice, including making some of the most famous sports ads in the last decade. His partnership with the brand was named the 'World's Most Creative Partnership' by Campaign in 2016, and his work was at the centre of Beats acquisition by Apple for 3 billion dollars. In 2019 Rod was appointed to lead Oliver's creative vision and capabilities worldwide as its first Global Chief Creative Officer.