Ioana Filip

Ioana has consistently been at the forefront of transformative journeys in the creative industry. She has reshaped adaptation work in local markets into globally celebrated narratives, revitalized creative departments to push boundaries, and driven agency growth by elevating creative output and positioning.

As the Global Executive Creative Director for McCann Worldgroup’s global brands, Ioana led teams across major hubs such as London, New York, and beyond. Before joining McCann, she was Chief Creative Officer at MRM UK and previously spent nearly five years as EVP Executive Creative Director at Energy BBDO in Chicago. At Energy BBDO, she focused on activating, innovating, and creating content for global clients, implementing a digital-first approach to transform the agency’s creative product. Her vision led to a restructured social and content hub, where she hired diverse talent beyond the traditional creative roles—bringing in influencers, cinematographers, photographers, and musicians to broaden the agency’s capabilities.

Starting her career in 2006, Ioana quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Group Creative Director at McCann Bucharest by age 26. She transformed the agency’s work from local adaptations to award-winning, globally recognized campaigns, helping the agency win Digital Agency of the Year for two consecutive years during her tenure as Executive Creative Director at MRM//McCann. Her experience spans roles across the United States, United Kingdom, and Romania, with a client portfolio including some of the world’s top Fortune 500 companies.

Ioana is also deeply engaged in academia and innovation. She studied artificial intelligence at MIT, advises startups, and is a published author of women’s fiction. Her debut novel, Impostor Figures, is available worldwide on Amazon. Recognized for her creative leadership, Ioana was ranked among the top 10 most awarded Executive Creative Directors in the U.S. by The One Show in 2022. Her work has been honored at prestigious award shows including Cannes Lions, D&AD, EPICA Awards, The One Show, Eurobest, the Webbys, and the Effies, contributing to McCann Worldgroup’s four-year streak as Network of the Year at the Golden Drum. She has served as a juror for all major global award shows, cementing her reputation as a respected industry leader.