Executive Creative Director, Bilingual Copywriter, Composer.
Living in Dubai. Born in Freiburg, on September 30th 1970.
German thoroughness meets English pragmatism.
Providing new tools is the best way change happens.
I’m passionate about impacting people with stories and I know that and how these stories work differently on every channel.
Love to collaborate. Hate anarchy. Not a mincer of words.
Only if creatives and clients have a clear picture of how they want their specific audience to feel, think and act will they create stories that build audiences and business.
Separating planning and creative is as effective as trying to write a song without an instrument or audience.
More than 500 awards.
M.A. at Freiburg Albert Ludwigs University 1997
ECD, FP7 McCann, Doha
Dubai, UAE | www.keko.group | 2021-2023
Creative Director, KEKO
Dubai, UAE | www.keko.group | 2019-2021
Creative Director, Powerhouse
Dubai, UAE | www.power-horse.com | 2018-2019
Executive Regional Creative Director, Publicis
Dubai, UAE | www.publicis.com | 2015-2018
Hungry for new adventures the invitation to head and rebuild Publicis creative department reached me at the right time. Happy to finally work in my mother tongue I packed my bags and flew to Dubai. Here my main task was to dial up the creative pedigree on accounts like Nido, Nescafé, Maggi, KitKat, Coffee Mate but also automotive giants like Jeep and Renault. Winning four Effies and one Lynx along the way.
CCO, Young&Rubicam
Frankfurt & Berlin, Germany | www.yr.com | 2010-2015
In the spring of 2010 I took on the challenge of reinvigorating Y&R Germany as CCO. I gave it all I got for 5 long years, relentlessly pursuing a turn around of this iconic brand. With offices in Frankfurt and Berlin I worked for Land Rover, Danone (Activia, Fruchtzwerge), Fromageries Bel (Kiri, Babybel, Leerdammer), Campbell’s, and winning a number of Lions for Land Rover, LG and Babybel, Effies for “Deutschland Rundet Auf”, creating the name, identity and digital crowdfunding platform for cross denominational place of worship “House of One” (www.house-of-one.org).
Managing Director, BBDO
Berlin, Germany | www.bbdo.de | 2008-2010
I went back to Berlin and immediately enjoyed working on the global account for the multi national financial service provider / insurer Allianz and German home saver LBS. But also Radio Berlin, Lotto Berlin, Tillman’s Toasties, FIT AG.
Managing Director, Scholz&Friends
Zurich, Switzerland | www.s-f.com | 2005-2008
In the fall of 2005 I was asked by the CEO to open up Scholz&Friends in Switzerland which I did with my trusted suit Katrin Seegers. We soon moved from a staff of 3 to a 21 brains strong agency in Zurich. When I left in 2008 to join BBDO Berlin we were in the country’s creative Top Ten and had won clients like Blick, Honda, Emmi, Swisshouse, UBS.
Creative Director, Scholz&Friends
Berlin, Germany | www.s-f.com | 2000-2005
I moved to the capital and joined the mothership’s sexy daughter in Mitte. I was soon made CD, heading my own unit or “Family” as Scholz called it. I worked very successfully for numerous clients ranging from newspaper (FAZ), banks (Activest), automotive (Mercedes), created Germany’s first low cost carrier (HLX.com), political initiatives (INSM) and winning a lot of creative acclaim (FAZ, Weru, Jobsintown, Berlitz).
Copywriter, Scholz&Friends
Hamburg, Germany | www.s-f.com | 1998-2000
I started working as a copywriter in the heart of Hamburg in the summer of 1998. My clients were the tobacco & coffee multinational Reemtsma, Europcar and the financial service provider AWD. I soon found and teamed up with my AD Matthias Spätgens, winning the Cannes Young Lions award and subsequently being poached by Scholz&Friends in Berlin.
Journalist, “Das Wertpapier”
Düsseldorf, Germany | 1997-1998
I began my writing career in the newsroom of the fortnightly economic magazine “Das Wertpapier”. I soon realized that Düsseldorf wasn’t my cup of tea and writing articles about a company’s stock market potential wasn’t as exciting as getting people excited about its product.
Founder of Templestudio.de
Freiburg, Germany | www.templestudio.de | 1991-1997
I started out writing songs and producing music in my hometown of Freiburg. I left the set up after finishing university in 1997 with a masters degree in English, History of Art and German Literature.
Contact
T: +971 55 1230313
T: +49 178 6464428
E: jan@protectthebaby.de
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
