How Le Pub’s Eleni Charakleia leads a unique agency model

Agencies everywhere are angling to create one-stop shops for clients. Publicis, under Charakleia’s leadership, has concocted one of the most innovative and fun integrated solutions. She leads Le Pub, which includes an actual drinking pub and brings together creative, data and digital teams to service the agency’s Heineken client. The office/drinking establishment in Amsterdam provides a casual setting for the group to create campaigns that, in her words, are “rooted in local regional insights that can be activated at scale and at speed across markets.” After starting with Heineken, Le Pub brought on Barilla and Diesel as clients. Charakleia's been working from Italy during the pandemic but will head to Amsterdam soon. While not open to the public, the pub was able to serve drinks during lockdown a couple of months ago when other bars were shut down. “So our Heineken clients were our best customers,” she says. “They would come every Friday for drinks.” See all of Ad Age's 2021 Leading Women U.S. and Europe here. What advice would you give your younger self? You are a work in progress, embrace yourself and you will find yourself. What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken? Deciding to come back to work after my second maternity leave, with two small children at home, in the midst of a global pandemic, setting up a new agency remotely, with 90% of colleagues I had never met. All whilst managing the creative output of one of the most notable global brands – Heineken. If you weren’t doing your current job what would you be doing and why? I would have probably pursued a career in diplomacy, linked to my original studies in International Political Science. I was always interested in different cultures and politics, in bringing people together to deal with sometimes difficult or uncomfortable issues, looking for common ground. What should the industry do to encourage more women and people of color into its ranks? It’s not only a problem of attracting women in the industry but the main issue is retaining and nurturing talent. Empowering, motivating and stimulating women and people of color to climb the ranks is the real issue. We also need to keep fostering a kind, curious and brave environment to create an inclusive space and a diverse recruiting process as well. Which campaign or other piece of work have you seen in the last year that you wish you had done? Uncensored Library by Minecraft. Totally blew my mind. A glorious example of virtual life and technology intercepting with real life, and creating value for consumers through an experience that matters. See all of Ad Age's 2021 Leading Women U.S. and Europe here.

How Le Pub’s Eleni Charakleia leads a unique agency model

Featured Stories