BIO

Xanthe Wells believes in the transformative power of creativity to fuel business growth and is known for building high-impact internal creative teams that deliver industry-defining work. As VP of Global Creative at Pinterest, she leads the House of Creative, the engine behind the company’s record-breaking campaigns, including “It’s Possible,” the most successful and awarded campaign in Pinterest history. Under her leadership, the team has also produced standout B2B initiatives like the Pinterest Manifestival at Cannes, the annual Pinterest Predicts Trend Report, and the P is for Performance campaign, all of which have earned widespread industry recognition.

Before Pinterest, Xanthe was the Global Executive Creative Director at Google, where she oversaw global campaigns, packaging, first- and third-party physical retail, and e-commerce for the Pixel and Nest portfolios, the gaming platform Stadia, and services like Google Fi, Nest Aware, and Google One across eight different markets. Her direction brought home accolades such as Brand Side Agency of the Year at The One Show and ADC, a Cannes Grand Prix for Real Tone on Pixel, the CMO Pencil, a D&AD Black Pencil, and myriad other top honors.

Prior to taking on a broader role at Google, Xanthe served as Global Creative Director at Nest, where she re-established Nest’s profile as a creative powerhouse. Before going brand-side in 2017, Xanthe spent her formative years in Los Angeles at TBWA\Chiat\Day under the legendary Lee Clow, working on The Pepsi Refresh Project, Kraft, Lay’s, and PlayStation. After Chiat, she ran the boutique agency Pitch as Chief Creative Officer prior to its acquisition by Project:Worldwide.

Named an Ad Age “Woman to Watch,” Ad Age “40 Under 40,” and one of Business Insider’s “30 Most Creative Women in Advertising,” Xanthe still hasn’t quite won over her mom, who wishes she would do a campaign as funny as the Aflac duck. Born and raised in San Francisco, Xanthe lives in Silicon Valley with her two kids, though her heart belongs to LA.

PRESS

Podcast
Marketing Masterclass: Xanthe Wells VP of Global Creative June 2025, Recorded at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity

Article
B&T: “Pinterest's Xanthe Wells: Modern Creative Leaders Need Humility & Must "Submit To The Process", May 2025

Article
La Presse “Xanthe Wells, directrice créative Pinterest, de génération en génération” June 2025

Article
B&T: Pinterest’s Xanthe Wells Leads From The Trenches To The Stratosphere, May 2025

Podcast
The Gathering Podcast: Inspiring The Future: A Conversations with Xanthe Wells, April 2025

Podcast
Rainmaker Podcast: “Why Gen Z is driving Pinterest’s most radical marketing shift ever: Xanthe Wells, VP Global Creative,” April 2025

Article
Campaign US, UK and CA: “Pinterest’s Xanthe Wells on making ‘cool’ stuff, connecting with Gen Z and creating with AI” October 2024

Article
Muse by Clio: “2 Minutes with… Xanthe Wells”
August 2024

Contributor for Article
”Are you afraid of decorating with colour? Here’s why you need to get over it” The Globe and Mail, Canada, March 2024

Author
”The Other AI: Authentic Ideas” by Xanthe Wells, Pinterest Business Blog, June 2024

Interview
The Courageous Podcast hosted by Ryan Berman: “Episode: Xanthe Wells” January 2024

Interview
Breaking & Entering Podcast #158: Xanthe Wells, VP, Global Creative at Pinterest
March 2023

Interview
Transatlantic: Crossing Xanthe Wells’ Ocean, VP Global Creative, Pinterest
April 2023

Interview
The Tidal Podcast: Making Waves with Xanthe Wells, VP of Global Creative at Pinterest"
April 2023

Interview
101 Great Minds: Xanthe Wells
August 2022

Interview
D&AD: Google’s Xanthe Wells and Florian Koenigsberger on leadership
July 2022

Interview
She Dynasty Podcast: Xanthe Wells
December 2018

Author
Communication Arts, Interactive Issue
"Promoted to Fail: A Creative's Journey to Leadership"
March/April 2015

Contributor
AdWeek
"How to Stop Your Best Creatives from Leaving You"
October 2015

Commentator / Interviewee
Super Bowl XLIX: An Insider's View Of The Ads
Forbes
February 2015

Guest Commentator
Bestads Six of the Best reviewed by Xanthe Wells, CCO/partner, Pitch, California
BestAdsonTV.com
January 2015

Contributor
Bloomberg Businessweek
Advertising Age
"Best SNL Ads as Chosen by Ad Execs"
February 2015

Contributor
AdWeek
"How to Win a Clio Award"
September 2014

AWARDS

Grand Prix, Cannes Lions
Google Pixel Real Tone
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
June 2022
* Grand Prix, Mobil
* Bronze Lion, Media
* Bronze Lion, Creative Effectiveness

Brand Side Agency of the Year (x2)
Google Devices & Services Creative Team
One Show & Art Director’s Club
May 2022

CMO Pencil, Google Real Tone
One Show
May 2022

Brand of the Year (x2)
Google
Art Director’s Club and One Show
May 2022

Grand Prix x 2, Google Real Tone
Best of Discipline
Art Director’s Club and One Show
May 2022

Gold Pencil x4, Silver x1, Bronze x1
Google Real Tone
One Show
May 2022

Gold Cube x3, Bronze x1
Art Director’s Club
May 2022

One Show 2025
Pinterest Predicts:
Silver Pencil, Creative Use of Data
Merit, Art Direction
Merit, B2B Communications

Pinterest Brand Campaign:
Bronze Pencil, Art Direction
Merit, Special Effects
Merit, Production Design

CLIOs 2024
Pinterest Brand Campaign:
Bronze Clio, Film Craft, Production Design
Bronze Clio, Film Craft, Visual Effects

Cannes Lions 2024
Shortlist, Film Craft, Pinterest Brand Campaign
Shortlist x2, Pinterest Predicts

Drum Awards 2024
Gold, B2B campaigns “The P is for Performance”
Silver, TV campaigns “It’s Possible”
Bronze, TV campaign, copywriting “It’s Possible”

Campaign Experience Awards 2024
Pinvision UK
Gold, Brand Experience B2B

Adweek Experiential 2024
Coachella Manifest Station
Winner, Activation for a Media Company

Webby Awards 2025
Pinterest Predicts
Winner, Website
Winner, People's Choice, Best Trend, Insights or Impact Report

2019 Ad Age Woman to Watch
Advertising Age
June 2019

2015 Ad Age “40 Under 40”
Advertising Age
March 2015

30 Most Creative Women in Advertising
Business Insider
March 2015

"Excellence in Advertising: Xanthe Wells" 
57th Annual Genii Awards
May 2016

Gold Pencil (x2)
One Show
2018, Nest Solar Eclipse

Gold Andy
International Andy Awards
2018, Idea

Gold Addy (x2)
Silicon Valley Addy Awards
March 2018

Silver Lion
Cannes Lions, Film
2018, One Love "Behind the Post"

Bronze Lion
Cannes Lions, Sustainability Goals
2018, Nest Solar Eclipse

Small Agency of the Year, Silver, 11-75 Employees
Advertising Age
July 2014

Ad Age Agency A-List: Agency to Watch 2014
Ad Age
January 2014

20 Small Agencies That Punch Above Their Weight
Forbes
June 2015

Grand Prix
Disruption Awards
2010

Silver Clio
CLIO Awards
April 2011

Silver Lion, Cyber
Cannes Lions Festival 2010
June 2010

Silver Effie
Effie Awards
May 2010

Silver Addy
Addy Awards
March 2015

Bronze Addy
Addy Awards
March 2015

Bronze
PIAF Awards
May 2015

Twitter Creative Favorites: Twestimates
Twitter
July 2013

Bronze Lion
Cannes Lions, Digital Craft
June 2010

Bronze Andy Award
Andy Awards
2011

Nominee
Webby Awards
May 2014

Finalist
ThinkLA Awards
May 2014

JURIES

Jury Chair
Clios
Brand Jury
2025

Jury President
AICP Next Awards
Real Time Engagement Jury
2024

Jury, Industry Craft
Cannes Lions
2024

Jury Member
Cresta Awards
2024

Jury Member
The One Show
2016, 2023

Jury President, 2024
Jury Member, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2022
AICP Awards

Jury Member
The Andy Awards
2015, 2016

Jury Member
Effie Awards, North America
2015

Jury Member
Clio Awards
2014

Jury Member
ADDY Awards
2013

Jury Member
Communication Arts
July 2013

Jury Member
Hatch Awards
April 2011

Jury Chair
Clios
Brand Jury
2025

Jury President
AICP Next Awards
Real Time Engagement Jury
2024

Jury, Industry Craft
Cannes Lions
2024

Jury Member
Cresta Awards
2024

Jury Member
The One Show
2016, 2023

Jury President, 2024
Jury Member, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2022
AICP Awards

Jury Member
The Andy Awards
2015, 2016

Jury Member
Effie Awards, North America
2015

Jury Member
Clio Awards
2014

Jury Member
ADDY Awards
2013

Jury Member
Communication Arts
July 2013

Jury Member
Hatch Awards
April 2011

PAST&
PRESENT

Pinterest (November 2022 - present)

• VP, Global Creative

  • Leader of the Pinterest 📌 House of Creative 📌 internal creative team ~100 people responsible for all creative development for the Pinterest brand.

  • Responsible for the development of consumer marketing campaigns, brand partnership creative, B2B campaigns, experiential events, business website, paid performance creative, advertiser content, email and all major programs for Pinterest marketing.

  • Directly manage Global Brand Experiences, Creative Production, Program Management, Executive Creative Direction and Creative Ops.

Google (July 2017 - Oct 2022)

• Senior Director & Global ECD
  Google Devices & Services

  • Drove global creative output for 5 categories of hardware devices across 8 key global markets including: Pixel Portfolio (phones, earbuds, laptops, tablets), Nest portfolio (thermostats, cameras, doorbells, locks, Wi-Fi systems & home control), Stadia (Gaming), Google Fi (TelCo), Google One (Service)

  • Led functional teams responsible for campaigns, new product launches, packaging, 3P physical retail, 1P physical retail, O&O channel development, experiential, stunts, brand partnerships and integrations

  • Oversaw large creative team of over 110+ people while reporting directly to Adrienne Hayes, VP of Marketing for Google Devices & Services

• Director & Global ECD
  Google Devices & Services

  • Drove global creative output for Pixel, Nest, Stadia Chromecast, Wifi, Subscriptions and services

  • Responsible for creative across all consumer touch points: Packaging, channel retail, pop-ups, gStore, experiential activations, traditional and non-traditional advertising

  • Led a creative team of over 100+ people; reporting directly to Thomas Ranese, VP of Marketing for Google Devices & Services

• Director & Global Creative Director
  Nest

  • Hired to revitalize the Nest brand under CMO Doug Sweeny. Oversaw a team of 40-50 creatives and producers for 6 months before being asked to take on the ECD of Google role when Nest was re-absorbed.

  • Launched several new products from packaging to campaigns including Nest Hello Video Doorbell, Nest Cam IQ, Nest Thermostat E and several others.

  • Drove creative work across packaging, retail, experiential, print, OOH, TV & video mediums. Recognized by Cannes, One Show, Andys and Addys for Nest work.

TBWA \ MAL FOR GOOD (2016-2017)

• Executive Creative Director

  • Worked directly with Lee Clow on his last major advertising endeavor: \MAL FOR GOOD, a sister agency to TBWA\MAL set up to service social good clients, including but not limited to Emerson Collective, Laurene Powell-Jobs' foundation with tentacles in education (XQ: The SuperSchool Project), social impact (Chicago C.R.E.D.) and climate (Do-Fest).

  • Earned Cannes Lion for One Love film "Behind the Post"

PITCH (2013-2016)

• Partner & Chief Creative Officer

  • Grew agency from 1 client to over 13 in a few short years including Pepsi, Netflix, Nestle, Arrowhead, Waldorf Astoria, Bonefish Grill, San Manuel Casino, Konami, Mattel, Sunpower, Westfield, Maaco and Meineke.

  • Responsible for driving agency to be recognized in the US as "Small Agency of the Year," "Agency to Watch" by AdAge

  • Creative wins led to +30% YOY growth for agency in both revenue and talent culminating in the sale of company to Project:Worldwide in 2014.

TBWA \ Chiat Day, Los Angeles (2006-2013)

• Global Creative Director

  • Drove global campaigns for Diet Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi Max and US campaigns for Pinkberry, Stacy's Chips and Kraft

  • Earned multiple awards and led a team of 20+ on Pepsi

  • Fostered an inclusive, productive culture within the team; mentored by Rob Schwartz (CEO, TBWA\Chiat\Day, New York) and Lee Clow (Global Chairman, TBWA)

• Associate Creative Director

  • Pitched and won 7 out of 8 clients during the few years I was ACD at Chiat

  • Managed nimble teams on Hillshire Farm, Sara Lee, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi

• Art Director

  • Hired to work on PlayStation

  • Also served as art director on WaMu, Visa, Hillshire Farm, Sara Lee

GROUND ZERO (2004-2006)

• Art Director

  • ESPN, X Games, California Anti-Smoking Campaign, Pinky & Seriously Vodka

PIXAR (1999-2001)

• Production Assistant, Art Dept.

  • Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Toy Story 2

SPEaKING ENGAGEMENTS

Speaker & Panelist, Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity “Creatives In Action” June 2025

Keynote Speaker, ”Cool is Not a KPI” Cairns Crocodiles, Australia May 2025

Keynote Speaker, C2 Montreal
”Cool is Not a KPI” Quebec, May 2025

Keynote Speaker, The Gathering Summit “Cool is not a KPI: Winning with Gen Z” Banff, Canada, October 2024

Keynote Speaker, Cannes Lions, “From Inspiration to Manifestation: Behind the Scenes with Poor Things” June 2024

Speaker, “Pinvision Leadership Forum,” Toronto, CA October 2024

Speaker, “Adobe Creative Connections: Xanthe Wells” Livestream, September 2024

Panelist, Inside Track Conference hosted by Oliver Agency: Creating at the Speed of Culture - a relevant or redundant mantra for brands? With Bernado Andrada, Xanthe Wells and Karin-Onsager-Birch, 2022

Speaker, Real Creative Leadership, AdobeMax Conference, October 2020

Panelist, The Side Show, Podcast, October 2020

Speaker “Real talk from Creatives on the Agency to Client side Transition,” 3% Conference, Nov. 2019

Keynote Speaker / Guest Lecturer, Bentley University Graduate Program, Babson College 2020-present

Cannes Festival of Creativity, Panelist, June 2019

Keynote Speaker, Harvard Business School, Marketing Summit, Nov. 2018

Guest Lecturer, USC, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism 2016

Speaker, Cannes Festival of Creativity, June 2016

Speaker, VCU Brandcenter, December 6, 2013

Panelist, 3% Conference, Los Angeles, August 2013

Moderator, 3% Conference, San Francisco, October 2013

Speaker, 3% Conference, November 2014, "CD Bootcamp" with Rob Schwartz

Guest Speaker, Cal State Fullerton 2013 & 2014