LIDA appoints Trefor Thomas, award-winning ECD of SapientNitro, as Chief Creative Officer

LIDA has appointed Trefor Thomas, Executive Creative Director of SapientNitro, as its Chief Creative Officer (CCO) – a newly created role.

Thomas joins the senior management line-up alongside Matthew Heath (Chairman), Victoria Fox (CEO), Jonathan Goodman (Managing Director) Simon Calvert (Chief Strategy Officer). He will sit on the LIDA management board.

Starting in June 2016, Thomas will be charged with driving and delivering outstanding creative work across LIDA’s impressive client base which includes: Boots, comparethemarket.com, O2, IKEA, and RBS/NatWest. His brief will be to focus on furthering the agency’s direct, digital brand and innovation capabilities, whilst continuing to gear up LIDA’s loyalty credentials across new platforms.

Thomas boasts over two decades of international creative experience and has won three Gold Cannes Lions – amongst other accolades. He leaves SapientNitro after two and a half years where, as Executive Creative Director, he was responsible for its digital engagement and multi-channel marcomms business for clients including Sky, Tui and Harley Davidson.

His previous roles saw him co-found the digital agency Brand Advocate, winning a range of clients from Louis Vuitton to Hendricks gin; heading up JWT’s digital and direct arm, RMG Connect, for EMEA; and leading Saatchi & Saatchi’s integrated business in London, with Droga enticing him back after a five year stint with Saatchi & Saatchi in Asia.

Thomas commented: “I‘m looking forward to bringing a broad skill set to the table, to support LIDA in growing the creative output. For me, LIDA already fuses a deep knowledge of loyalty and data, and now I’ve got a brilliant opportunity to apply an additional layer of technological knowhow and creativity. To be working with a team of kindred spirits, who totally understand the business of being Direct, feels really exciting.”

Victoria Fox, CEO of LIDA, added: “Trefor’s passion and drive, coupled with his multi-platform and award-winning expertise, made him the perfect person to strengthen the creative agenda across all LIDA clients. I am excited for the team here at LIDA and for our fantastic clients who will benefit from Trefor’s experience and track record.”

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