McCann London Appoints Liam Thomas as Executive Design Director

​McCann London has appointed Liam Thomas as executive design director, marking the first senior creative hire since Mel Arrow became CEO earlier this year. The appointment reflects Mel’s focus on building a dynamic, multidisciplinary leadership team that will continue to deliver impactful, culturally relevant work for clients, a vision shaped in close partnership with chief creative officer Emiliano De Pietri.

Liam joins from BBH London, where he led the agency’s design department and oversaw award-winning work across brand identity, visual systems, and integrated campaigns for clients including Audi, Tesco, Nike, Tinder, Under Armour, and Tylko. Prior to BBH, he held senior roles at Grey London and DEPT®, building a portfolio that spans FMCG, tech, luxury, and entertainment brands. His work is defined by conceptual clarity and creative precision, creating design systems that combine craft with cultural relevance that have earned recognition from Cannes and D&AD.

At McCann London, Liam will lead the agency’s design vision and output, with a focus on elevating design craft across all creative work. His appointment follows the arrival of Emiliano as chief creative officer earlier this year. Together, they form part of a growing creative leadership team that reflects Mel’s ambition to strengthen McCann London’s role as a global creative hub for multinational clients.

“I am so pleased that Liam is joining us. His talent is, frankly, off the charts. Liam has a reputation for building talented and diverse teams and putting conceptual design right at the heart of the creative department. We share a passion for keeping McCann’s creative output broad and eclectic, with no house style and no preferred channel. I know that Liam’s conceptual brilliance will enable that in so many awesome ways,” said Mel Arrow, CEO, McCann London.

“It feels like the world is remembering how powerful design can be. Not just something that looks good, but something that makes an impact. McCann excites me, not only because of the mix of clients, but also because of the chance to rethink the traditional process and put design at the heart of every idea. I’m extremely grateful for the trust from Mel and Emiliano,” commented Liam.

Emiliano added, "At McCann, our vision is to bring creative and design together as true partners. Liam’s exceptional talent and leadership have already made a profound impact - he’s a creative force. By elevating the executive design director role to the same level as an executive creative director, we’re reshaping our creative leadership - uniting craft, concept, and strategy at every stage of the process. That’s how we deliver platform ideas that stand out globally and drive lasting impact for clients.”