Johannes Leonardo has brought Samira Ansari on board as group creative director. She will be tasked with leading creative teams across the agency’s client base, including MassMutual, Amazon, EA Sports, and The Bezos Family Foundation. Ansari will work out of Johannes Leonardo’s headquarters in New York and report directly to founders Jan Jacobs and Leo Premutico.
Ansari brings more than two decades of experience driving and fueling creative ideas to her new role. Prior to Johannes Leonardo, she served as group creative director at Grey NY where she oversaw the Bose, Pringles, and Marriott accounts globally. Before her tenure at Grey, Ansari was creative director for JWT New York where she produced the award-winning campaign for U by Kotex that has changed the perception of the female sanitary product market. Ansari’s talent for brave creative execution and strategy has landed her at award-winning agencies over the years, including Saatchi and Saatchi Paris, TBWAChiatDay, and Leo Burnett.
“I have known Sami for a long time and have always wanted to work with her,” said Jacobs, co-founder and chief creative officer at Johannes Leonardo. “Her strategic approach to creativity and her focus on cultivating strong client relationships aligns so well with the caliber of professionalism we strive for at JL. Sami comes at an inflection point in our agency’s growth and we are truly confident that Sami is just the beginning as we continue to empower our people to create the best work of their careers, and help brands impact culture.”
Ansari’s appointment marks another key strategic hire for the agency as it continues to deepen its management team. Last year, the company hired its first-ever CFO Bill Afonso from 72andSunny, and head of business development Ben Myers from Droga5.
Ansari said of Johannes Leonardo, “The DNA of the agency that has been fashioned by Jan and Leo has allowed them to move at an independent pace and spirit that permits exceptional work. JL’s standards around creativity have always been super high and I am looking forward to cutting my teeth with some of the best creative minds in the industry.”
