Droga5 New York’s Paul Meates returns to Australia, replaces Justin Ruben as Executive Creative Director at CHEP Sydney

Returning home to Australia following a decade at Droga5 New York, Meates’ new role will see him lead the Sydney office’s creative talent and output, in addition to joining CHEP’s national creative leadership team. Meates replaces Justin Ruben, who has left the agency after nearly three years in the role, for a yet to be revealed new adventure.

During his time at Droga5, Meates led multi-award winning campaigns for Meta, Ancestry, Prudential, Chase, Biofreeze, Facebook, CNBC, Allstate and Coca-Cola, with his work having received an Emmy nomination, in addition to Grand Prix and Best in Show awards.

In addition, his work for Coca-Cola was exhibited at the High Museum in Atlanta, his three films for Meta were accepted into the MoMA archives in New York, and in 2022 he was listed in Campaign US’s 40 over 40.

While working at Droga5, Meates co-founded The Great Brain Cell Sacrifice, a company that donated a book for every bottle of wine sold. The company launched three critically-acclaimed wines and donated enough books to fill seven libraries in America’s most under-funded schools.

Says CHEP Network Chief Creative Officer, Gavin McLeod: “We have huge creative aspirations at CHEP to do ‘different-shaped’ work that defies media norms. To do this we need a creative leader who values and nurtures relationships with our clients and across the wide breadth of CHEP’s capabilities who help bring these ideas to life.

“Paul is by nature inclusive and collaborative, but also has a laser-like focus on what makes an idea great. I’m stoked to see another world-class creative talent return to Australia and incredibly proud that he has chosen CHEP as his new home.”

Says Meates: “CHEP is uniquely positioned to not only do the very best of what agencies are typically set up to do, but also the kind of work no other agency can. It’s a place with so much capability – anything is possible.

“…and I missed Cheezels. So it was time to come home. You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”

Meates started his career in Western Australia, first at The Shorter Group in Perth, before moving to Sydney in 2001 to join Ogilvy & Mather. He move back to Perth in 2002 to join brainCELLS before heading off to Rothco in Dublin (now Droga5). In 2005 he returned to Australia, joining The George Agency in Melbourne, followed  by GPY&R Melbourne in 2008, before moving to Droga5, New York in 2013.