Monks Welcomes Thiago Correa as SVP Media EMEA

Accelerating its innovation of the media industry, Monks - S4 Capital’s global, digital-first, unitary operating brand - has named Thiago Correa as its senior vice president of media in EMEA, where he will future-proof brands’ media strategies for the age of algorithmic performance.

Many of the companies at the vanguard of the AI revolution, such as Google, Meta, and Amazon, are also the biggest media channels in the world today. Monks works closely together with these partners and applies its expertise in AI-driven media buying, the definitive path forward for programmatic channels. Leveraging Monks’ close partnerships with these AI pioneers, Thiago will help brands navigate the 'messy middle' of today's fragmented media landscape.

In his role at Monks, Thiago Correa will report to Linda Cronin, executive vice president of Media, and will help marketers build modern organisations defined by radical agility, actionable transparency, and AI excellence.

“AI rewrites the economics of media, stripping out the manual middle where most of the margin sat,” says Thiago. “The winners will be integrated, automation-first partners that connect creative, data, and measurement into one system. That’s the bet I’m making at Monks.”

Operationalising the AI Future

Thiago’s appointment coincides with Monks’ growing focus on Growth Engineering, a distinct approach to digital media that moves beyond legacy last-click models. By fixing the data pipes and injecting high-fidelity signals directly into platforms like Google and Meta, Monks aims to improve signal quality for immediate performance lifts. This allows brands to make their existing media investments work harder without disrupting current buying operations.

The strategy also applies an engineering mindset to the integration of creative and media, utilising 'Fuel & Freedom' methodologies. Recognising that algorithmic platforms function best when fuelled by scalable creative, the framework ensures creative supply matches algorithmic demand. This allows brands to maximise ROI on AI-led ad systems like Meta Advantage+ and Google PMax without the friction of traditional agency silos. Additionally, the offering includes helping clients evolve from classic SEO toward Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), ensuring they show up everywhere AI assistants look.

“We are providing a clear maturity roadmap that proves value in year one while identifying the next best step,” adds Thiago. “Our goal is to ensure clients aren’t just surviving the shift to AI, but using it to future-proof their entire media business.”

A Track Record of Transformation

Thiago brings extensive experience in media and digital leadership to the role. At Publicis, he worked with H&M as its global client lead. Prior to this, Thiago served as Zenith’s chief digital, data and technology officer, where he was part of the leadership team named Campaign’s Media Agency of the Year in 2022. During this same period, he helped develop Publicis’ digital capability in the UK via the Performics team, which went on to win PMW’s Performance Agency of the Year in 2024.

​Juanita Draude, EVP EMEA at Monks adds, “Marketing and media are transforming, and I’m excited that Thiago adds more expert boots to the ground when it comes to the impact of AI on the media landscape. His experience will contribute to Monks’ mission to equip our clients with clear playbooks that help move through this industry shift, not just with a vision, but with practical steps. There’s incredible opportunity within media to reinvent the practice, processes and business models, and Thiago is the perfect media powerhouse to help our clients in their transformation.”