Rafael Pitanguy | Reimagine

As deputy global CCO, Rafael, based in New York, his primary responsibility is leading creative for key client account, Coca-Cola. In addition, he continues to look after creative for the agency’s Brazilian market on key accounts. 

With a career spanning more than 20 years, Rafael Pitanguy arrived at VMLY&R (then Y&R) in 2016 and has since transformed the agency into one of the foremost creative agencies in Brazil and worldwide. VMLY&R Brazil was named Cannes Lions Agency of the Year for two consecutive years, in the tracks For Good (2021) and Entertainment (2022). 

Pitanguy received top honors for the agency’s work with Greenpeace Brazil in “Los Santos +3ºC,” imagining a climate-impacted Grand Theft Auto. In 2021, Pitanguy took home Brazil’s first-ever Glass Grand Prix for Starbucks’ “I Am.” VMLY&R Brazil was also named Agency of the Year at Effie Brazil and won the Grand Effie, the Professionals of the Year at Rede Globo, the GP of the Creation Club (Black Star) and the YouTube Works. Meio & Mensagem named Pitanguy among the 10 Communication Professionals of the Year for this work, as well as his advocacy and work on diversity initiatives within the agency. 

A graduate from PUC-Rio in advertising and publicity, and from UERJ in language and literature, Pitanguy previously served as creative vice president at Africa, and worked at both TBWA\ and Fischer in Portugal. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading brands such as Vivo, Visa, Via, Colgate, Ambev, Itaú, Santander and Dell. In his free time, he works as a screenwriter and has had a feature film pre-selected by the Sundance Festival. He is also a teacher at Miami Ad School and is a Conar Board Member.