Taxi Montreal announced Monday that longtime Palm + Havas vice-president and creative director Pascal de Decker is joining the agency as executive creative director, effective Sept. 3.
A native of Belgium, de Decker has 18 years of experience both in Canada and internationally with agencies including Cossette, DDB Brussels and Lowe Troost. He arrives at Taxi after seven years with Palm + Havas.
His portfolio includes work for clients including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Bank of Montreal, Volkswagen, Via Rail, Molson Dry and General Motors.
In addition to his creative acumen, de Becker brings both leadership and an understanding of the business aspect of advertising said Taxi’s chief creative offer, Frazer Jelleyman.
“He brings a very broad perspective,” said Jelleyman. “The things I was particularly impressed by is that he’s very hard-working, with a laser-beam focus, and is also one of the most good-humoured, funny people I’ve ever met. He’s the complete package.”
De Decker replaces Dominique Trudeau, who left Taxi Montreal in May after a two-and-a-half-year run with the agency.
Taxi interviewed numerous candidates familiar with the Quebec market, said Jelleyman, but de Decker’s knowledge of the international market and his reputation in Quebec – including leading the 2012 Créa Awards jury – were both key factors in his appointment.
He will operate as part of the Taxi Montreal management team while contributing to the entire agency network said Jelleyman.
