Fernando Diniz

I am a Brazilian guy who doesn’t know how to dance the samba. I don’t play soccer and I don’t get that crazy with the World Cup. You might be in doubt about my nationality, I know. But I’m a good Brazilian when I make some excellent caipirinhas.

Art is really my thing. I began taking pictures, painting and drawing when I was a child. You’ll also see that I’m the type of family guy, linked emotionally to friends. I went to university to study History and Journalism, but I do enjoy finding courses which help me change the way I see things, the way I act and think. I’ve taken Singularity University in the USA, a school inside NASA. I’ve also taken a managing time course in a Brazilian school whose base is located on the top of a mountain. I’ve taken some courses on directing documentaries, and so on...

As a professional, I’ve done a lot of things. I’ve started my career as a journalist working for magazines, newspapers and radio stations. Later I've worked as public relations, experienced in corporate reputation and crisis management and then, I became an advertising man working as Strategic Planner and Content Creative at traditional and digital agencies. Nowadays, I’m the Chief Strategy Officer at DPZ&T, a big agency in Brazil. I’m responsible for three different departments: Strategy, Content and Media areas, coordinating more than 150 professionals. Imagine the size of the barbecue party I need to organize for all of them! :-).

I was also involved in academic matters. I was a professor at Miami Ad School for ten years.

In 2011 I was nominated for the Caboré Award, the most important advertising award in Brazil and in 2017  I won Strategic Planner of the year.

At THNK I expect to find new leadership and business skills for the development of my project Base Verde (Green Base). It will be a centre for knowledge, practices and culture, in the midst of nature, which welcomes schools from all over the world to encourage training, music and art connected to nature. The project intends to help develop professionals’ skills as well as impact my hometown in a good way. You can find out more by visiting Base Verde.  The website and the project are still in “beta mode”.