Leo Burnett Chicago Welcomes Mariana O’Kelly as EVP, Executive Creative Director

The highly awarded and seasoned advertising professional will be responsible for overseeing one of the agency’s most long-standing business partnerships.

Kicking off 2023 with new creative leadership, Mariana O’Kelly – a skillful and trusted authority in the advertising industry – joins Leo Burnett as EVP, Executive Creative Director. She will partner closely with Britt Nolan, President and Chief Creative Officer to advance the creative product for the entire Kellogg’s business – where Leo Burnett has been the lead creative partner since 1949.

“At Leo Burnett, we look for leaders who aren’t just phenomenal creatives, but also inherently generous. Mariana is a perfect fit,” said Britt. “I’ve been jealous of her book for years. But more than that, she’s passionate about growing talent and has a reputation for building world-class teams.”

Ranked as one of the world’s highest performing executive creative directors by The Gunn Report, Mariana joins Leo Burnett from Ogilvy Chicago where she served as Global Executive Creative Director. Over the past 25+ years, Mariana has led as an influential creative partner for globally renowned brands such as KFC, Kimberly-Clark, MTV and Philips. An accomplished powerhouse, Mariana has also overseen campaigns that earned top recognitions from Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Clios, and more.

A champion of gender diversity, Mariana will bring her passion and tenaciousness to drive cultural impact and forward-thinking across the brand’s portfolio.