Rod Henriques Joins DEPT® as Executive Creative Director

Global digital agency DEPT® is boosting its creative leadership in EMEA by appointing Rod Henriques as executive creative director. Rod will oversee the creative, design, and production teams in the Benelux and Nordics region, and will liaise closely with international creative peers. Henriques will bring 20 years of experience to unlock pioneering work and set the standard for the next era of creativity for clients such as Foot Locker, Netflix, Lotus Biscoff, ING, and bol, among others.

A product of some of the most iconic advertising agencies, Rod honed his skills at TBWA/Chiat/Day, Jung von Matt, Saatchi&Saatchi, McCann, and BBDO. Most recently, he led Leo Burnett’s team in Dubai, developing campaigns for brands like Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Always, and Pampers. He’s created award-winning work for international clients such as P&G, Coca-Cola, DHL, Audi, Nivea, Porsche, and Mastercard and has over 120+ awards from prestigious advertising festivals including Cannes Lions, Clio, LIA, Eurobest, D&AD, Art Directors Club, and One Show. A true globetrotter, Rod Henriques will be based in Amsterdam, after previously working in Brazil, England, Germany, the USA, and UAE. 

“We’re in the midst of one of the largest (r)evolutions our industry has seen, and we were looking for someone who believes in the power of combining creativity with media and tech - Rod is as excited as we are about redefining what creativity can mean in the world of today and tomorrow”, said Erwin Bossers, VP of creative and media, DEPT®. “Also, it's rare to find someone so experienced who is humble and a die-hard team player - those are true superpowers and we can’t wait to see the impact Rod will have on our people and our work”. 

"Joining a company that provides creatives with a vast canvas of cutting-edge technology is both thrilling and inspiring. As a tech enthusiast, I’ve always flirted with the idea of working in a place that has tech, media, and data at its core to keep pace with how consumers engage with the brands and make decisions today. So, joining DEPT® felt like a natural step in my career, and I am really glad to be part of the team”, shared Rod Henriques. 

This appointment reflects DEPT®’s commitment to use creativity to unlock pioneering work for today’s most ambitious companies. Recently, work developed for local brands Ganni, Johnnie Walker, bol, Louis Poulsen, and Sumthing has been nominated for the 2024 Lovie Awards.