2024 Creative LIAisons Coaches
Daniela Varela
Creative DirectorTBWA\Chiat Day New York
New York
Daniela is a people-first creative who helps build meaningful brands through storytelling. Born in Uruguay, creatively groomed in Asia, academically raised in Scandinavia, professionally thriving in New York City.
She kicked it off in McCann Montevideo. A couple of years and nautical miles later, Phibious Vietnam appointed her as Creative Group Head for Google, launching its first consumer-facing campaign. In 2015, Dani moved to Stockholm to study her MA in Communications and Cultural Analysis. Her final research landed her a book deal. Back in Asia, Ogilvy & Mather Singapore brought her onboard as an Associate Creative Director for Unilever. She joined Orchid Creation as a Group Creative Director, first in Barcelona and later on in New York City, to expand its strategic and storytelling capabilities, growing the company's presence in the US and Americas. COVID made her change gears and she joined McCann Health New York, focusing on the Hispanic community in the US. Currently, she’s a Creative Director at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York always eager to create the next cultural disruption and a board member of the Círculo Creativo US.
She kicked it off in McCann Montevideo. A couple of years and nautical miles later, Phibious Vietnam appointed her as Creative Group Head for Google, launching its first consumer-facing campaign. In 2015, Dani moved to Stockholm to study her MA in Communications and Cultural Analysis. Her final research landed her a book deal. Back in Asia, Ogilvy & Mather Singapore brought her onboard as an Associate Creative Director for Unilever. She joined Orchid Creation as a Group Creative Director, first in Barcelona and later on in New York City, to expand its strategic and storytelling capabilities, growing the company's presence in the US and Americas. COVID made her change gears and she joined McCann Health New York, focusing on the Hispanic community in the US. Currently, she’s a Creative Director at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York always eager to create the next cultural disruption and a board member of the Círculo Creativo US.
A fierce believer in the power of creativity as an agent of change, she constantly advocates for junior and female talent in the rising. In her second year as a LIA Coach, she is excited to celebrate and help her mentees reach their career milestones. She is a guest lecturer at Universidad Catolica del Uruguay, Södertörn Högskola and Brother Creative School. She is part of PublicitariasORG and Omniwomen New York. She has also been chosen as 1 of 16 top female creative leaders in 2023 by Cannes Lions’ See it Be It.