Riccardo Fregoso
- Chair Creative EMEA, Chief Creative Officer Italy
- Italy
A true European, both French and Italian, Riccardo deftly navigates the contradictions of his dual identity: French precision and Italian spontaneity, conservatism and iconoclasm, reason and instinct.
Chair Creative EMEA and Chief Creative Officer Italy at Dentsu Creative, Riccardo contributes to the EMEA board’s strategic vision, coordinating Creative with Media and CXM practices. He oversees the EMEA Creative Council and has led global pitches for brands like MSC Cruises, Armani, Campari, Generali, and Ferrero.
With over 15 years of experience in top international agencies, Riccardo started at BETC, then worked at TBWA, Ogilvy Paris, McCann Paris, and Publicis Italy/Le Pub. His expertise spans Fashion and Luxury, Design, Social Media, Influencer Marketing, Experience, Innovation, and Branded Entertainment.
Riccardo’s approach, shaped by his education at Bologna and Sorbonne Universities and Executive Programs at Hyper Island and Bocconi, combines analytical rigor with a passion for culture, tech, and digital trends. His award-winning projects include Bordeaux 2050 (a futuristic wine promoting sustainability), Street Vet (a connected billboard analyzing dogs’ urine), and Playlist Timer (Spotify’s first pasta timer).
He has served as Global Executive Creative Director for Coca-Cola, Nespresso, L’Oréal Paris, Nestlé Cereals, Barilla, Amex, Armani, and MSC Cruises, while helping secure new business from Netflix, Vichy, and Spotify.
Riccardo has judged at Cannes Lions (where he’s also been official speaker in 2024), Eurobest, New York Festivals, LIA, and more. He’s been Jury President for the TikTok Awards and Italian Art Directors Club, where he’s also International Ambassador. He has won over 200 awards, including 29 Cannes Lions, 10 D&AD Pencils, and Grand Prix at LIA, Eurobest, Golden Drum and TikTok Europe. Under his leadership, McCann Paris was named French Agency of the Year at Cannes Lions 2019, and Dentsu Creative 2nd Best Agency at ADCI in 2024.
Beyond advertising, Riccardo is an acclaimed Photographer and Film Director. His photobook Adriatico was published in 2022 by Kerber Verlag, and his first film for Spotify has been released globally in 2024. Since June 2023, he has been a Lecturer at IED in Milan, teaching in the Master’s program in Creative Direction.
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