Gabriela Lungu

I joined the creative commerce agency Geometry in London to push the boundaries of what integrated, modern creativity can achieve for brands’ growth and experience. I’m mainly responsible for Diageo and brands such as Baileys, Guinness or Tanqueray; I’m also working for other companies such as Costa Coffee, Pearson Academic, 3M etc.

Creative leadership and transformation are my most valuable expertise and my passion. I founded WINGS Creative Leadership Lab to support both agency and client teams from the marketing and comms world to elevate their creativity through training, workshops, bespoke consultancy, and uplifting talks (both at public industry conferences and private corporate events). WINGS is a nomadic Lab, and it flies anywhere it’s needed. We’ve been doing projects from San Francisco to Singapore, and many cities in between. Check out the Lab's webpage below and get in touch. Or grab a ticket to the industry events where I'm speaking, and let’s meet.

As an agency veteran, being on the client side was always something I wanted to explore. So I took this global role at Notino (the largest beauty online-retailer in Europe) and led the marketing and communications for firm's 15+ markets in Europe, UK & US.During my short & intense tenure at the company I developed the new marketing and brand strategy with the objective of adding emotional resonance to the functional e-retailer, and new communication plans evolving Notino's brand and voice. I reorganised the department to decentralise the marketing function, and contracted global creative partners to better serve the business' new focus and ambition. I also supported the development of private labels, and oversaw the communications for rebranding and launches in several markets, and an acquisition in one.

I was contracted by TBWA\London to lead the creative development for a special one-off project for an iconic global fashion & lifestyle brand. After the project ended, I was employed by the agency as creative partner for the launch of a new key agency product (Disruption Live - creating ideas rooted in culture) and for a major account, Airbnb, working with teams from London and Europe. My responsibilities included supporting the creative development for other clients (such as Nissan, GSK, Lidl etc.) and new business as well, especially integrated creative platforms, or beyond-traditional-advertising ideas: social and digital, PR, activation and experiential etc. As Partner, I was part of the wider TBWA\London leadership team, and represented the firm in Omniwomen (an organisation within Omnicom aiming to encourage female talent).

From this regional executive role based in London I led the creative turnaround of the PR firm across UK & 15+ markets in EMEA, with focus on cross practice, cross channel & cross discipline integration. This included leading the creative approach and contributing award worthy work for current clients & new business pitches, but also setting up the creative function in a relevant way for the industry, and designing and implementing innovative strategies and creative training programmes. My initiatives such as "Creative Revolution" (agency’s first structured creative process, deployed in 25 offices across EMEA), "Incite Awards" (EMEA internal creative competition) or "Creative Tribe" (connecting and nurturing PR creative talent from all EMEA markets as a task-force for solving tough creative challenges) helped rewire the offices in the region for braver creativity and transformed the firm's culture.

Joined Weber Shandwick in London in March 2013, to lead the Consumer Marketing practice across the EMEA region. In this role I delivered business and creative support to the 20+ offices in the region, drove business opportunities with clients, initiated a new agency product, and helped define the global strategy and positioning of the Consumer Marketing practice. I also conducted a creative tour in over 10 markets and internal activities to spark off a vibrant creative culture.

Founded THE PRACTICE in November 2006 as a communications consultancy focused on results through creativity. The company was acquired by Publicis Groupe 7 years later, in 2013, when it was rated as one of the most creative PR agencies in the world, and it is now a MSLGROUP office. Under my creative leadership the agency ranked #13 in the world as per the Holmes Report PR Creative Index 2012, Top Overall Agencies (irrespective of size); it also won Eastern Europe Consultancy of the Year title in 2013 (EMEA SABRE Awards), and was nominated as European Newcomer Agency of the Year in 2009 (European Excellence Awards) or as Emerging Markets Agency of the Year in 2013 (Global Sabre Awards). It won the national PR Agency of the Year title twice (2009 & 2012). Hands-on professional, I developed the strategies & creative concepts for many of the campaigns done by THE PRACTICE that won important awards, such as the Platinum SABRE for Best EMEA PR Program of the Year, PR Lion at Cannes Lions or Global SABRE. Under my business management the company grew in terms of both figures and reputation, rapidly becoming one of the top 10 local PR businesses in terms of financial results, building extended expertise in many industries such as FMCG, retail, financial services, real estate & construction, healthcare, and retaining an impressive portfolio of both international and local clients, including well-known global brands such as Avon, IKEA, Renault, Starbucks, Samsung or Unilever.

Worked 6 years for Ogilvy Public Relations, starting with a Creative Director role, overseeing firm's creative offering, and then growing step by step up to the top-level position, being promoted Managing Director of the agency in 2002. Ran the Bucharest office of Ogilvy PR for 4 years, leading it to success: in 2006 the agency was ranked #3 among the local PR agencies based on financial performance, and was enjoying a very good reputation from a product (creative & strategic) point of view.

Worked 4 years as a copywriter for Ogilvy & Mather. This advertising experience gave me a deep understanding of brand stewardship, strongly developed my creative and idea selling skills, and put a solid foundation for my expertise in integrated communications.

News gathering and editing. Being a journalist was a very useful experience, that helped me a lot later on in storytelling, copywriting and PR