Gabriel Schmitt, Grey’s global chief creative officer, is leaving the WPP-owned agency to launch an independent creative venture, according to a report by Ad Age.
Schmitt joined Grey in March 2023 from FCB New York, where he served as co-chief creative officer. At FCB, he was involved in campaigns including “Whopper Detour”, “Michelob Ultra Courtside”, “Contract for Change” and “McEnroe vs McEnroe”. Grey appointed him to lead its global creative operation, reporting to then-global CEO Laura Maness.
At Grey, Schmitt has been associated with global work including AB InBev’s Corona Cero campaign “For Every Golden Moment”, which was developed around the brand’s partnership with the Paris 2024 Olympics. The London International Awards says the campaign generated more than 4.1 billion impressions.
The reported departure comes after a series of leadership and structural changes at Grey. In October 2025, Laura Maness left her role as global CEO after more than three years. Grey did not appoint a replacement, instead moving to a co-leadership model involving Schmitt and Global Chief Client Officer Jason Kahner, working alongside Global Chief Strategy Officer Jonathan Lee.
The changes followed WPP’s decision in May 2025 to move Grey’s reporting line from AKQA to Ogilvy. Grey continued to operate as a standalone agency brand within the Ogilvy Group.
Schmitt’s reported exit would mark another change in Grey’s global leadership structure. Before joining Grey, he held senior creative roles at FCB Chicago, KBS, Dentsu and Y&R, after beginning his career in São Paulo.
However, Grey’s public-facing information has not yet been updated to reflect the reported departure. The agency’s website currently continues to identify Schmitt as Global Chief Creative Officer, while recent Grey and industry profiles also list him in the role.
The report also mentioned that Schmitt is leaving to start his own venture. Details of the new venture, including its name and launch plans, have not been publicly disclosed.