Dentsu Creative appoints John Mescall to Global Chief Creative Partner role

Dentsu Creative has appointed John Mescall as Global Chief Creative Partner, based in New York.

Mescall will partner with Yasu Sasaki, Dentsu’s Global Chief Creative Officer, to align and elevate creative standards across markets. Together with local creative leaders, he will spearhead initiatives focused on prioritising creative excellence and craft; building a thriving global creative community; embracing AI and emerging tools to enhance workflows; and expanding opportunities for talent development across the network.

Says Mescall: “What drew me to Dentsu Creative is its deep belief in the power of creativity to drive meaningful impact across the board. It’s rare to find a global organisation so aligned in purpose, yet so attuned to the unique strengths of its local teams. I’m excited to be a part of a creative culture full of talented, passionate people, that values excellence, fosters innovation, and puts humanity at the center of everything we do.”

Mescall brings decades of global creative leadership, having served as Global Executive Creative Director and President of the Global Creative Council of McCann Worldgroup and Chief Creative Officer of McCann Melbourne, where he helped lead the network to Cannes Lions and Effie Global Network of the Year title as well as taking out the 2013 Campaign Brief Agency of the Year title.

Most recently, he was Chief Creative Partner at by TheNetwork. His work has earned more than 100 Cannes Lions, including eight Grand Prix, alongside Black and Yellow Pencils at D&AD, One Show Best of Show, and multiple Clio, Spikes, LIA, and Webby awards. He has also been recognised on the Creativity 50: ADWEEK’s annual list of the world’s 50 most influential creative thinkers and doers, and ranked by Business Insider as the eighth most creative person in advertising worldwide.

“John’s creative legacy speaks for itself, but what excites us most is his ability to unite teams around a shared vision,” says Abbey Klaassen, Global President, Dentsu Creative. “He knows how to translate big ideas across markets, unlocking the strongest creative thinking from each region. As a champion of evolution and transformation — not just in the work, but in how we work — John will play a pivotal role in driving creative alignment, elevating our craft, and delivering work that’s both culturally resonant and strategically unified, as we continue to scale our creative impact.”

“Transformative Creativity is the driving force that connects our network’s capabilities to create meaningful impact for people, businesses, and society, and John’s commitment to creativity is a reflection of that,” adds Sasaki. “As Global Chief Creative Partner, John will collaborate closely with our Chief Creative Officers in markets, serving as a trusted advisor to elevate their strategies, while also uniting and inspiring our global creative community, ensuring alignment on purpose, amplifying creative excellence, and unlocking the full potential of our talent.”