DUBAI: VMLY&R has appointed Miguel Bemfica as chief creative officer of the agency’s MENA operations. Reporting to Jaime Mandelbaum, chief creative officer of VMLY&R Europe, Bemfica will be responsible for the agency’s creative output and developing creative talent within the agency. “Miguel is the best of modern creativity; he over indexes on both deep business acumen and brilliant creative thinking. He shares our ambition and passion and will be essential in delivering the VMLY&R promise in MENA,” Mandelbaum said in a statement. Bemfica will lead the creative department, which includes creative, social, content, innovation and design. He will be involved across the agency’s client portfolio, which includes Ford, RTA, The Public Investment Fund, Emirates Development Bank, KAUST, Chevron, Colgate-Palmolive and General Mills. “VMLY&R has been embedding brands in culture as far as I can remember, and I cannot wait for the bold, connected work we will do with our clients in Dubai. As both, a crossroads with a deep heritage and a hub of innovation, the region has such fantastic opportunities for creativity,” added Bemfica. Bemfica joins from McCann WorldGroup, where he was the chief creative officer at MRM Spain for the last five years and executive creative director at McCann WorldGroup for 10 years. He also worked as global creative director for brands such as Nespresso and Zurich Insurance, and was the European creative director for Coca-Cola. He has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the prestigious Grand Prix at Cannes Lion and trophies at the One Show, D&AD Awards and London Festival. His passion for the creative industry led him to open Escola Cuca, a creative school in Latin America, which he has helped run since 2008.