Leo Premutico

Leo Premutico believes that today’s communication era presents every company with the opportunity to have a rich, meaningful and effective existence. But that there’s only one way to do so - by tapping into the power of courageous creativity.

In 2007 he formed Johannes Leonardo in partnership with Jan Jacobs. A creative agency designed for an era where ‘the consumer is the medium’ with a mission to inspire the courageous acts that lead to true advertising effectiveness.

For over a decade now his ideas have helped transform some of the world’s most iconic and influential companies. The agency’s “Drive Bigger” platform for Volkswagen is helping to lead a turnaround for the world’s largest automaker. MassMutual’s “Live Mutual" platform is helping to modernize the 165 year old insurance company into a category leader. While their repositioning of adidas Originals into challengers of the status quo with their “Strikethrough” campaign, has contributed to an unprecedented turnaround for the company and was awarded multiple effectiveness and creative awards, including the 2017 Entertainment for Music Grand Prix.

Johannes Leonardo has also repeatedly been called upon by the world’s leading technology companies - Amazon and Google. Helping to move their advertising industry toward a more modern form of storytelling for the latter, resulting in the mobile Grand Prix at the Cannes Advertising Festival for their Google Re:Brief campaign.

Most recently, the agency was named Adweek’s Breaththrough Agency of the Year in 2019 and #3 AdAge’s Top Ten ‘A-List’ in 2020.

Leo fervently believes it’s the job of his agency to instill courage in their clients. And doing so requires deep listening and partnership.

Leo’s work has been recognized at every major international award show, including the One Show, D&AD, Cannes Lions and the Clios. He has twice been featured in Creativity's 50 Most Influential People, and his Tide “Talking Stain” commercial was nominated as one of the top 20 Super Bowl ads of all time. Earlier in his career, Leo won the Ansett Encouragement Award for Young Creative of the Year and was named the Best Young Creative in the United Kingdom by Campaign magazine. Leo is a sought-after thought leader and has been featured in publications including Forbes, Fast Company, Ad Age, Adweek and Campaign US.

Leo is most proud when he sees his teams achieve things they didn’t think possible and is most honored when he is able to share his experience with the industry’s emerging talent. Away from Johannes Leonardo, you can find Leo on a Sydney beach trying to convince his wife and two boys he’s in no need of a Mini Mal.