Paul Meates, returning to Australia after a decade at Droga5 New York, has been appointed executive creative director at CHEP.
Meates will lead the Sydney office’s creative talent and output, as well as joining CHEP’s national creative leadership team.
During his time at Droga5, Meates led campaigns for Meta, Ancestry, Prudential, Chase, Biofreeze, Facebook, CNBC, Allstate and Coca-Cola, with his work having received an Emmy nomination, Grand Prix and Best in Show awards.
His work for Coca-Cola was exhibited at the High Museum in Atlanta, his three films for Meta were accepted into the MoMA archives in New York, and in 2022 he was listed in Campaign US’s 40 over 40.
While working at Droga5, Meates co-founded The Great Brain Cell Sacrifice, a company that donated a book for every bottle of wine sold. The company donated enough books to fill seven libraries in America’s most under-funded schools.
CHEP Network chief creative officer Gavin McLeod: “We have huge creative aspirations at CHEP to do different-shaped work that defies media norms.
"To do this we need a creative leader who values and nurtures relationships with our clients and across the wide breadth of CHEP’s capabilities who help bring these ideas to life.
“Paul is by nature inclusive and collaborative, but also has a laser-like focus on what makes an idea great. I’m stoked to see another world-class creative talent return to Australia and incredibly proud that he has chosen CHEP as his new home.”
Meates said: “CHEP is uniquely positioned to not only do the very best of what agencies are typically set up to do, but also the kind of work no other agency can. It’s a place with so much capability - anything is possible.
“...and I missed Cheezels. So it was time to come home. You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”
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