Synopsis:
Nicolas Roope takes us on a trip down memory lane through his journey as an old-school digital creative pioneer, blending artistry with innovation across 30 years.
From founding Antirom, a creative but unruly collective, to leading acclaimed agencies like Poke, he’s been at the heart of digital creativity’s evolution. He shares insights on building effective, dynamic creative teams in today's AI-driven, economically tight environment — championing fractional leadership and diverse perspectives.
A standout leadership win was launching Plumen, the iconic sustainable light bulb, proving that design-led product innovation can shape markets and culture.
Roope’s story reminds us that true leadership is about pragmatic innovation, embracing new tools, and always focusing on meaningful impact.
Key Takeaways:
Nicolas Roope is a digital creative pioneer with 30 years' experience, marked by early digital marketing roles and founding influential agencies.
His first leadership challenge was co-founding Antirom, a fun but unsustainable collective that highlighted early digital creative business challenges.
Roope led agencies like Oven Digital and Poke, fostering top design talent who went on to influential projects including Facebook identity and award-winning campaigns.
He advocates for flexible, fractional creative leadership, especially in a climate of AI impact and economic pressures on design leadership roles.
Roope stresses mixing diverse disciplines to creatively solve problems and build well-coordinated teams.
His proudest leadership moment is the creation of Plumen, a sustainably designed light bulb that won major awards and changed consumer perceptions.
His leadership approach crosses conventional boundaries, focusing on real problem-solving and impact over formal titles.
