5 Minutes with… Hanna Stenwall

Hanna Stenwall is the executive creative director at INGO Stockholm. Her career reads like a tour of Europe’s creative heavyweights, with stints at Anomaly, Wieden+Kennedy, Grey London, and NORD DDB before taking the helm at INGO.

She describes her current agency as "Ogilvy’s fearless younger sibling" – a place smaller by design and unbothered by rules that don't serve the idea. For Hanna, the goal is not just to create work that is "pretty," but to find ideas that "shake the nervous system" and provoke a visceral reaction. She’s one of the female creative leaders the European Association of Communication Agencies (EACA)and LBB has selected to showcase as part of an ongoing series.

Chief executive officer of the EACA, Charley Stoney, says: “We all know how shockingly low the percentage of female creative leaders is across the industry. EACA’s own Creative Equality Survey 2024 also found that only 25% of creative awards in Europe have gone to women. I believe in the ‘see it, be it’ principle, so my hope is that this collaboration with LBB, to highlight female leaders, will provide vital role models for those rising up through the ranks.”

Here, Hanna speaks to LBB’s Alex Reeves about why the UK industry made her brave, why Swedish creativity needs to "exhale," and why she’s always looking to “unmonetised passion” for inspiration.

LBB> You’ve spent your career at respected agencies across Europe – from Anomaly and Wieden+Kennedy, to Grey London, Edelman Deportivo, NORD DDB and now INGO. What originally pulled you into the creative world? 

Hanna> Curiosity. And the horrifying thought of a life where nothing was invented, questioned or beautifully misunderstood. And words. And worlds. The itch needs its scratch. 

LBB> What does the creative culture at INGO Stockholm allow you to do today that feels different from previous chapters in your career? 

Hanna> The signs of the time, really. Old rules don’t cut it. Timeplans are mostly astrology. Everything shifts constantly; everything is up for grabs. You keep pushing ideas with instinct, truth and humour. Only faster, faster, faster.

LBB> You’ve worked in both Sweden and (more briefly) the UK. How have those two creative markets shaped your approach as a creative leader? 

Hanna> The UK made me brave. I had to drown my imposter syndrome and get my inner child up on the horse instead. Sweden broke me and rebuilt me. Now, creative leadership is mostly patience – and occasionally violence – ricocheting between both like a ping-pong ball with dual headspace citizenship. 

LBB> You were creative director and partner at NORD DDB before stepping into the executive creative director role at INGO. How has your leadership evolved as you’ve taken on more responsibility? 

Hanna> The real shift isn’t the title, but the context. NORD positions as a Nordic empire in motion. INGO, on the other hand, is Ogilvy’s fearless younger sibling: smaller by design, faster by nature, and unbothered by rules that don’t serve the idea. Both environments taught me different muscles. And yes, INGO’s “all dogs are welcome” policy is still my favourite leadership principle. 

LBB> Looking back at your time earlier in your career, what collaborations or projects most shaped the kind of creative you’ve become? 

Hanna> The time spent at Edelman Deportivo confirmed what I already suspected: it was never about advertising. It was always about ideas. Unhinged, unpolished, undeniably alive. 

LBB> As an ECD today, what do you look for in ideas from your teams? What makes you sit up and think, “Yes, this is something we need to fight for”? 

Hanna> If it shakes my nervous system, I’m in. I feel an idea before I understand it. And if someone immediately “doesn’t get it” on some emotional dimension, I know it’s worth the fight. 

LBB> Sweden has a long tradition of human, socially intelligent creativity. What do you think defines Swedish creativity in 2025 – and how does INGO contribute to that identity? 

Hanna> In all honesty, it feels like Swedish creativity has been holding its breath for years now. It deserves to exhale, let go and get going. Do whatever you want and believe is right, without the pressure of making it too pretty. There’s always room for “what the fuck was that?” 

LBB> What’s a recent piece of work from INGO that gave you energy? What about it unlocked something for you creatively? 

Hanna> Deutsche Telekom. Not because it’s a big brand that does big work, but because it’s mutual. Real partnership gives you oxygen, and when you can be yourself in the work, you end up looking for bigger and bolder truths everywhere else. 

LBB> What feels like the most exciting creative opportunity in Europe right now – and what feels like the biggest threat or pressure? 

Hanna> Opportunity: redefining freedom before someone trademarks it. 

Threat: confusing urgency with importance. Or worse, confusing bland safety with cultural value. 

LBB> When you’re not thinking about campaigns, where do you find inspiration in your life outside the industry? 

Hanna> I’m very intrigued by people who create for no audiences: patient balcony gardeners, clay makers, night owls with random thoughts brought to life. Unmonetised passion might just be my favourite medium.