VML and Y&R Merge to Create VMLY&R Brazil in São Paulo

Oct. 15, 2020

A new agency with future-facing suite of brand and customer experience marketing services

VMLY&R Global today announced the official formation of VMLY&R Brazil following the merger of the independent operating agencies VML and Y&R in São Paolo. The new entity will deliver a fully integrated brand and customer experience offering to clients. VML Rio will be maintained as an independent operation in Rio de Janeiro.

VMLY&R in Brazil will be led by Fernando Taralli, current CEO of VML and CIO of VMLY&R LATAM. David Laloum will leave Y&R management to pursue personal projects focused on technology and innovation segments. Laloum will continue to contribute to the integration of the two operations as head of business development of VMLY&R Group in Brazil, alongside Marcos Quintela, who will serve as Chairman of the VMLY&R Group and oversee the integration of the agencies and other assets within the VMLY&R Group, such as MUTATO and VML Rio de Janeiro. Marcos will be supported by Alejandro Suarez, CFO and COO of VMLY&R Group. Rafa Pitanguy is being promoted to chief creative officer, Leo Balbi will be chief client officer and Sumara Osório will take over as chief strategy officer of the newly created VMLY&R São Paulo.

The agencies have spent the last two years working collaboratively in various areas of activity, all focused on growth in the market.  An environment of constant market changes, coupled with accelerated investments in 2020 across key capabilities in social strategy, e-commerce and digital transformation, boosted the decision to formalize the union of VMLY&R Brazil.

The leadership team will benefit from the learnings and success of the VMLY&R global network merger, announced in September 2018. This includes great momentum across client growth, capability developments and cultural synergies over the past two years.

“I am very excited about the opportunities VMLY&R Brazil has ahead of us. In the year that VML completes 10 years of operation in Brazil, we bring together extremely talented professionals committed to customer results and a robust set of capabilities, offering the best solutions for our clients. I am also very honored to have the opportunity to work alongside David and Quintela to add even more value to our clients and partners”, comments Fernando Taralli.

David Laloum adds, “I’m deeply grateful and proud of Y&R’s track record in recent years, leading our market in many aspects. I am convinced that the merger will further drive VMLY&R, redefining a new model and new standards for the industry, anticipating its needs and opportunities. I am also very excited about my new challenges in the area of technology, which will be announced soon, and in particular, to know that they are a complementary to my work within the VMLY&R and WPP family, companies that have allowed me to build a beautiful professional and personal history in Brazil during the last 15 years.”

Both VML and Y&R in São Paulo, in addition to organic growth with existing clients, are very active in new business opportunities, focused on a fully integrated agency model with strong digital capabilities. Wins in 2020 include Visa, Braskem, Raízen, English Live, Whirlpool, Sadia, Outback Steakhouse, and Deezer.

With the merger of operations, the agency’s client portfolio includes major national and international brands, such as Vivo, Grupo Petrópolis, Danone, Via Varejo, LG, Visa, Nespresso, Braskem, Habib’s, Raízen/Shell, Outback Steakhouse, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Tinder, AkzoNobel, Ford, Sadia, English Live, Bridgestone, L’Occitane, Viacom, Uber Eats and Universal Pictures. 

Marcos Quintela, chairman of VMLY&R Group said, “I have been part of the WPP Group and Y&R for the past 15 years, and I can say the merger of VML and Y&R agencies is undoubtedly already one of the most valuable moment of my career. We will have the best team and set of digital tools to help our clients grow exponentially.”

VMLY&R Brazil in São Paulo will be an agency of more than 550employees, and the principal office for VMLY&R in Latin America. The expectation is to close the first phase of the merge in January 2021.

“The change is line with the global strategy and strengthen WPP as a creative transformation company. VMLY&R Brazil brings together talents, resources and skills to offer the best and most integrated services and products to our clients,” adds Stefano Zunino, WPP’s Country Manager for Brazil.

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