VML UK names Sanjiv Mistry Executive Creative Director

VML UK has appointed Sanjiv Mistry as Executive Creative Director. He will report to Chief Creative Officer Ryan McManus and work across the agency’s client portfolio.

Mistry joins with nearly 20 years of creative leadership experience, most recently serving as Executive Creative Director at McCann London, where he spent a decade overseeing award-winning campaigns for Microsoft and Xbox.

Creative track record

At McCann, Mistry led the transformation of the Microsoft division into a creative-focused operation. His work included high-profile campaigns such as Survival Billboard, The Birth of Gaming Tourism, and The Everyday Tactician. He also developed Xbox Design Lab Originals: The Fanchise Model, which earned the first-ever Cannes Grand Prix in Commerce.

Ryan McManus, Chief Creative Officer at VML UK: "Sanjiv knows how to make work that people remember and moves the needle for clients. He brings a sharp creative mind, real cultural intuition, and a deep understanding of what makes brands matter. We are super excited to have him on board."

Mistry is among the most awarded creative leaders in the UK, with more than 1,000 international accolades, including nearly 80 Cannes Lions, 43 D&AD Pencils, and 45 One Show Pencils. In the 2024 Cannes Creativity Report, he was ranked the top Executive Creative Director in the UK and fifth globally.

Sanjiv Mistry: "From the moment VML approached, I was in awe of the scale. Scale of ambition. Scale of capability. Scale of talent. But all of it expressed through groups of smart, funny and thoroughly lovely people. I am so happy to be joining this team, to help add new chapters to the agency’s storied history."

Strengthening creative leadership

Mistry’s appointment is the second senior creative hire under McManus’s leadership since 2024. It follows the addition of Juliana Paracencio as Executive Creative Director in December 2024, who has led creative direction for Boots and The No.7 Company and contributed to the DIY by IKEA campaign earlier this year.

These hires reflect VML UK’s commitment to expanding its creative leadership and delivering integrated, human-first campaigns for clients.

www.vml.com

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