Atlantic New York Welcomes Suzanne Barbosa as Managing Director

Independent creative agency Atlantic New York - which calls Red Hook, Brooklyn-based 1938 oil tanker 'The Mary A. Whalen' its home - has named Suzanne Barbosa its first managing director. Suzanne will lead Atlantic alongside João Coutinho and Marco Pupo, who co-founded the agency in 2021 with a mission to navigate against the currents and create work and build partnerships that defy common trends. That mission has been paying off, landing the shop ongoing project work with Yahoo, Twitter, Prime Video, NextDoor, Black America Refund and plus size women’s fashion brand Amour781.

Suzanne brings 15 years of experience as a creatively driven business lead to Atlantic, the last four of which she spent at MullenLowe NY as VP, group account director on Unilever, Bayer and Edgewell Personal Care. Previously, she worked at Grey New York, where she first met Coutinho and Pupo, and BBDO, championing award-winning work for the likes of Gillette, Revlon, UNICEF and FedEx. In addition to her client service, Suzanne is an active advocate for change across the industry, working to help define new, equitable and effective policies for maternity and parental progress.

In Atlantic, Suzanne has found her own mission and beliefs reflected: to create a place that puts progress over perfection, adds value to utility and puts the best interest of its employees and their families first and foremost. In fact, Suzanne joins the agency at 29 weeks pregnant, approaching full paid maternity leave.

“Joao and Marco are shaping a counter current that allows their team to do business as passionate client partners while making powerful and effective work that drives business results,” says Suzanne. “That vision is what lured me to Atlantic. I believe every employee brings their own perspective of a life lived to work each day. Embracing that perspective is key to building a culture we are proud of as a collective. I look forward to further fostering an environment where talent can create in a trusting, safe and collaborative space.”

Atlantic’s decision to bring on its first managing director comes 18 months after its inception as the agency continues to grow and demand more structure and process. Suzanne’s appointment will allow Joao and Marco to continue in their unlayered approach, remaining close to the work and its clients, with additional support on both the operational and business development sides.

“Suzi brings not only a ton of experience in client relationships and operations to our agency, but also an incredible energy and willingness to improve important aspects of our industry - one of the main goals we have at Atlantic,” says co-founder Marco Pupo.

Co-founder João Coutinho adds, “We were looking for someone with very specific skills–someone with a creatively driven approach to account services that supports and influences the work at every turn. Suzi is one hundred percent committed to growing the business while delivering the best creative product. We are already feeling the positive effects of her presence.”