Adrian Botan

Among the Clio jury members Adrian might be one of the few creative leaders who has had the unique privilege to experience both dictatorship and democracy first hand. Strangely enough this comes in handy in today’s puzzling world.

Having lived his first 20 years in a Communist Romania, he is equipped with the characteristics that may have contributed to earning a double Cannes Grand Prix: a challenger spirit and a capacity to thrive with scarcity. His “American Rom” campaign subverted a national icon to spark a conversation about the real meaning of patriotism in today’s globalized world.

Adrian sees himself as a challenger even more today, as McCann’s European Creative President and Global ECD for Nestlé, believing that it is the only healthy behavior in a business prone to disruption and reinvention. This is the spirit that he is determined to instill across McCann offices in Europe, together with relentless resourcefulness and entrepreneurialism.

This approach led to McCann being crowned three times Network of the Year in Central and Eastern Europe, in 2013, 2014 and 2016. In 2016 McCann Europe doubled the number of Cannes Lions (to 44) and Eurobest awards, where the network was also the first runner up to the Network of the Year.

During his earlier tenure, as CCO at the Bucharest office he helped turn it into a flagship creative hub for the network; winner of a consistent number of accolades in the Clios, One Show, D&AD, a double Cannes Grand Prix and Titanium, with a total of 28 Lions of all hues.

Adrian is currently living in London where he is missing the invigorating low budgets and the proper passing of the seasons.