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SHANGHAI, CHINA //  Eric Cruz is a multi-award-winning creative leader, designer and educator who brings with him over 18 years of industry experience. He is a ‘hybrid creative’ – fusing design, film, moving media, music, art and technology to bring a unique perspective to advertising in the connected age.

As AKQA Shanghai’s Executive Creative Director, Eric is leading the growing Greater China team – helping clients such as Nike, Jordan, NBA, Diageo, Haig Club, Johnny Walker and Honeywell create the future through innovative brand storytelling.

Eric has held various leadership positions in agencies across Asia, Europe and the US, developing a creative model for the agency of the future. He was previously Executive Creative Director at Leo Burnett Malaysia, and co-founded W+K Tokyo Lab, Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo’s creative think tank and experimental music label.

His work has been recognised at the Tokyo ADC Awards, Cannes Lions, ADC NY, ONE Show, D&AD, Spikes, AdFest, AdStars, The FWA and the Japan Media Arts Festival.

To mentor the next generation of talent and ignite creative dialogue, Eric regularly delivers lectures and has taught Design, Advertising and Moving Media at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Temple University in Tokyo, and The One Academy in Kuala Lumpur.

Born in the Philippines, Eric grew up in the US and Spain. He studied Graphic Design and Digital Media in the US and Europe during the heyday of the internet.