David Promotes Sylvia Panico to Global Chief Operating Officer

Panico will continue to serve as managing director of the agency’s São Paulo office, a position she’s held since 2015.

As global chief operating officer, she fills a role that’s been vacant since Paulo Fogaca left David earlier this year to join Gut, the agency formed by David co-founders Anselmo Ramos and Gaston Bigio last April.

In her new role, she will be tasked with overseeing operations throughout the agency network and meeting local needs in each market.

“Sylvia has an unequaled business vision and has been helping us allocate resources among our offices according to specific local needs,” said David founder and chairman Fernando Musa in a statement. “From now on, her challenge is to promote the integration of the four agencies under a single David mindset—a key task not only to make sure our business grows but also to further the growth of the creative reputation David has acquired throughout its eight years in the market.”

Her appointment marks the latest in a series of executive shake-ups and departures at Ogilvy-owned David, which has offices in Miami, Buenos Aires and São Paulo. At Cannes this year, David Miami executive creative directors Ricardo Casal and Juan Javier Peña Plaza announced their plans to leave the shop.

Following their departure, executive creative directors Ignacio Ferioli and Joaquín Cubria, both of whom worked at David Buenos Aires, left to join Gut as partners and chief creative officers.

In June, David named Francisco “Pancho” Cassis, former executive creative director of LOLA MullenLowe in Madrid, partner and global chief creative officer.

Since its founding, David has become known for its creative work on clients including Burger King and Kraft-Heinz. Its Miami office created this year’s  Burger King’s Super Bowl ad, which featured Andy Warhol eating a Whopper.