'In the land of Shakespeare and The Canterbury Tales, storytelling runs deep'

I’ve always found it a bit awkward talking about myself. Trying to guess what others might find interesting or useful is tricky. But here’s my best go at it.

It’s been a journey across three continents, different cultures, and a lot of creative rooms. If there’s one thing that has defined it all, it’s the people. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the best out there. And along the way, each place has shaped how I think, how I see, how I listen, and how I make things.

And that is the real magic of this job. I have friends who are doctors and lawyers, people I deeply admire, but their paths kept them rooted in one place. Mine did not. Advertising let me live other lives in other countries. It let me step into different cultures, different rhythms, different ways of seeing. It did not just change how I work; it changed who I am.

If you’re in advertising and haven’t lived abroad, I can’t recommend it enough. It stretches you in ways no job title ever could.

Through the journey, certain learnings have shaped the story I carry.

In Brazil, I learned the beauty of craft and the power of simplicity. It’s a vast country full of contrasts and rich cultures, so ideas need to be clear enough to reach everyone while still resonating deeply. There’s a strong creative discipline, a real skill, in making the complex feel effortless. That’s likely why Brazilian creatives are hired across the globe; their ideas speak clearly to everyone. At AlmapBBDO, I learned that simplicity is an art form. It takes time, patience, and great mentors, because simple, clever ideas are often the hardest to come by.

In New Zealand at Colenso BBDO, I saw how creative ambition walks hand in hand with entrepreneurial spirit. Most creatives had a side hustle, even the CCO at the time. Whether it was launching a craft beer, designing a swimsuit line, or building a tech product on the side, there was this quiet, steady belief that a single good idea could change everything. And that belief is taught early, nurtured by schools, communities, and even the government. New Zealand is still a young country, full of space to build something. That kind of optimism stays with you. It naturally leads to a different kind of thinking, more inventive, more hands on, often leaning into activations and non-traditional media.

And in the UK, the land of Shakespeare and The Canterbury Tales, storytelling runs deep. It is in the tone, the timing, the restraint. At adam&eveDDB and AMV BBDO, I learned how to craft storytelling, not just write one. The words don’t just sit on a page; they move in rhythm with the image. Here, directors are collaborators from day one. The writing doesn’t lead or follow; it dances. That experience taught me that great storytelling isn’t just about what you say; it’s how it unfolds on screen. Every frame, every pause, every shadow matters.

If I had to sum it all up, I would say it is a bit like living by the sea, in the countryside, and in the middle of a buzzing city. Each place slows you down or speeds you up. Each one sharpens a different part of you. One teaches you calm. Another, depth. The third, urgency.

That is what working abroad has given me. It stretches your instincts. It deepens your empathy. And it reminds you again and again that there is more than one way to see the world.

Advertising is one of the few jobs that gives you that kind of gift. But the biggest gift of all is the people I have met along the way.

And if you get the chance, take it. It will stay with you forever.