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TBWA\London has hired former Grey London and M&C Saatchi Chief Strategy Officer Raquel Chicourel as its CSO. The move reignites a hugely successful partnership with CEO Larissa Vince and CCO Andy Jex.

The trio previously worked together for a number of years at Saatchi & Saatchi, where Raquel worked between 2014 and 2018, latterly as joint head of planning, and the team enjoyed a rich period of new business and creative success.

Raquel is a visionary leader and experienced strategist with an array of award-winning and commercially effective work for famous brands including Coca-Cola, Tourism Australia, Pringles, Persil (Dirt is Good), Marie Curie and Save the Children. 

Prior to joining TBWA, Raquel was CSO at Grey London between 2019 and 2023, and strategically led new-business wins for clients including Coca-Cola, Very, Alpro, TikTok and Carlsberg as well as winning an array of awards including: 4 Effies, 2 Cannes Lions and a Silver IPA award.

Before that she was CSO at M&C Saatchi from 2018 to 2019. Most recently, she has held various consulting roles both client and agency side.

In her new role she will join the senior leadership team, working alongside Larissa and Andy in running the agency. She will also take responsibility for leading and developing the agency's strategic direction as it builds on the award-winning success of last year. In December the agency scoopedGold Best in the European Effies, the pinnacle of the strategy awards calendar, after also winning multiple creative awards in 2023 including two Grand Clio’s for adidas and picking up 6 new clients across the year.

She will also continue to drive TBWA\’s Disruption messaging through TBWA\London’s work, as well as taking overall strategic lead on all clients and working on pitches. 

Larissa Vince, TBWA\London CEO said: “Raquel is a brilliant strategist with great experience of transforming some of the world's leading brands. She is also a great leader of people - inspiring and committed but with great empathy for others. And, even better than that, we already know we make a great team, and have great chemistry. All of that makes her the perfect partner for Jexy and I - after a brilliant 2023, it’s going to get even more epic with Raquel on board." 

Raquel Chicourel TBWA\London CSO added: “I love working with Larissa and Andy, and we know we share the same ambition for the work, the agency and our clients of today and tomorrow. And then there’s Disruption. Name one strategist or creative on earth that would not have their hearts racing about Disruption. The creation of something truly original that deviates from the norm is undoubtedly THE most exciting mantra and North Star for any creative mind or business. TBWA\’s Disruption was the first big moment in adland in terms of putting a stake in the ground and setting a whole new bar for strategic thinking as the driver of effective creative work and continues to deliver that today."

Raquel replaces Sandie Dilger, who left the agency earlier in the year due to family reasons.

Sandie Dilger said: "I can't tell you how much I've loved working at TBWA. But balance, blend or however you frame it, mine isn't quite right just now so with the knowledge that careers are long and often squiggly, I need to shift my focus for a bit."

Larissa added: "Life is so much more than just work, and Sandie needs to prioritise her life just now. I'm sure she will be back in the industry with her trademark enthusiasm and smarts, just as soon as she can."