August 2026 – NOVA has announced the promotion of Ygor Morato to Executive Creative Director (ECD). Having been with the agency since 2018, Morato will expand his responsibilities in leading the creative department, overseeing multiple client teams, managing the creative staff, maintaining creative and craft standards, fostering collaboration across departments, and strengthening relationships with clients, partners, and vendors.
A trained Art Director, Morato previously served as NOVA’s Head of Art and, since 2024, as Creative Director. His new title formalizes a cross-functional leadership role he has already been performing across the agency, with the goal of strengthening the agency’s creative output while aligning it even more closely with clients’ business challenges.
“This invitation is really a formal recognition of the role I’ve already been playing within the creative department and across the agency. The goal is to strengthen and elevate both our creative work and our relationships, while also turning that into business growth for NOVA,” says Morato.
The promotion comes during a period of growth for the agency and preserves NOVA’s horizontal organizational structure. The creative department now formally includes a VP of Creative, an Executive Creative Director, Creative Directors, and creative teams, maintaining a collaborative model in which leadership responsibilities and decision-making are shared.
According to Morato, creating the new position is not about adding another layer to the process.
“I want to act as a facilitator. My goal is to build a healthy environment where people feel confident enough to produce increasingly better work while minimizing the natural friction that comes with the creative process.”
During his eight years at NOVA, Morato has witnessed multiple stages of the agency’s evolution and has played a key role in winning and growing major accounts. Among the projects he highlights are “Guru” for Caixa; “Shield of Democracy,” “United,” and “Brazil of Brazilians” for Secom; “SME Day,” “We’re Here,” and “The Strength of the Brazilian Entrepreneur” for Sebrae; “Use It—You’ve Got It” for Banco do Brasil; as well as the development of ApexBrasil’s communications and NOVA’s own rebranding.
For Morato, this journey has been the result of a collective effort. Over the years, he has worked alongside creative leaders including Thomaz Munster, Claudio Leite, Paulo Lima, Paulo Ribas, LG, Amanda Lourenço, and many other talented professionals at the agency.
In his new role, Morato’s priorities include raising the agency’s creative standards, improving processes and relationships, strengthening existing client partnerships, and contributing to new business opportunities.
“I’m proud of everything we’ve built together at NOVA, and I feel both happy and honored by the trust and responsibility I’ve been given. My goal is for us to continue creating memorable work with cultural and social relevance, while fostering a healthy environment that values our talent,” he says.
According to Thomaz Munster, NOVA’s VP of Creative, the promotion recognizes Morato’s contributions while preparing the agency for its next phase.
“Ygor’s promotion is a recognition of his dedication and the path he has built here at NOVA. It’s more than well deserved—it’s also a strategic step that strengthens the agency for the changes and new opportunities ahead,” Munster says.
