Mihnea Gheorghiu Inducted into the Golden Drum Hall of Fame
Golden Drum proudly welcomes Mihnea Gheorghiu, Global Chief Creative Officer of LePub Network, to its Hall of Fame. He joins an esteemed cohort of visionaries and pioneers—individuals who have passionately and courageously championed progress in the creative industry and beyond.
Established in 2010, Hall of Fame celebrates those who have, through their professional career and personal life, influenced our creative minds and souls. Creative leaders who have inspired and motivated us, and who now guide us to move forward in our endeavours.
"I’m from Romania and Golden Drum’s always been a pretty big deal for us. Back in 2005, when I was a junior, I would’ve given – maybe not a whole leg, but at least a femur - to win one. It never happened. I wasn’t even close. In fact, I had to wait for ten years to win one. That was probably for the best, I was way too young anyway and I would’ve become a total dick. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a bit like going full circle for me. Honoured to be in such good company and eternally grateful to whoever proposed me and voted me in. If I will ever be able to go back in time, I’d grab the nineteen-year-old me and tell him ‘calm down, be patient, go out more and keep your femur. You’ll do just fine’.” – Mihnea Gheorghiu, LePub
Mihnea began his journey in advertising at just 19, stepping into the industry as a junior copywriter in Bucharest, Romania. What followed was anything but conventional. He left business school behind to pursue creativity across some of the world’s most dynamic cities, including Hamburg, Paris, London, Madrid, Toronto, New York, and Amsterdam.
Over the years, his work has not only travelled the globe but also set new standards in the industry. Mihnea has earned an impressive 152 Cannes Lions—featuring two Grand Prix and one Titanium—alongside hundreds of other prestigious accolades from D&AD, Clio, The One Show, LIAA, Eurobest, Golden Drum, ANDY, and New York Festivals.
Since 2017, Mihnea has been shaping global creative direction at Publicis Milan, leading standout work for brands like Diesel and Heineken. His impact quickly propelled him from Global Creative Director to Global Executive Creative Director, and in 2021, to Chief Creative Officer of Publicis Italy. A year later, he took on an even broader role as Global Chief Creative Officer of the LePub Network.
One of the Most Respected Leaders to Emerge from the Region
A career defined by bold moves, global influence, and award-winning creativity—Mihnea continues to push the boundaries of modern advertising. He became the 10th most awarded CCO in the world in 2023, the 8th in 2024 and the 6th in 2026, and made LePub Milan the 1st creative agency in the world in 2022, 2023 and 2026 in the WARC rankings.
At Golden Drum, Mihnea has established himself and LePub as a consistent force.
“Mihnea Gheorghiu has won nearly every major award, setting new creative benchmarks for the region and beyond. His bold ideas, fearless storytelling, and uncompromising vision prove that Central and Eastern European talent can not only compete globally, but lead. As a creative leader at Publicis Italy and later LePub, he didn’t just guide his teams—he inspired them to achieve the extraordinary: six consecutive Agency of the Year titles at Golden Drum. An unprecedented streak, driven by passion, precision, and a relentless belief in what great creativity can be. Year after year, he has stood among the festival’s top five creative directors, a testament to both his vision and his consistency.” – Mojca Briščik, President of Golden Drum
Mihnea has become a defining voice in the region’s creative identity, opening doors for new generations and proving that bold ideas know no borders. Leading with courage, originality, and a deep sense of cultural truth, he has rightfully earned his place in the Golden Drum Hall of Fame.
About Golden Drum Hall of Fame
A wall is just a wall. But whoever’s name is inscribed on it, briefly brushes against immortality. Then a wall becomes The Wall. Golden Drum Festival has in its thirty-two years attracted great visionaries and dreamers who fought courageously and passionately for the progress of the creative industry.
As time goes by and people move forward, we tend to forget the names of those that have set the foundations, upon which professionals of today build great things. Established in 2010, the Golden Drum Hall of Fame virtual wall reads the names of great women and men. The list grows with careful consideration and a sense of gratefulness to those, whose names and actions we should never forget. Each new member needs to be confirmed and accepted into the Hall of Fame by the existing members.
Members of the Golden Drum Hall of Fame
Jure Apih, Adrian Botan, Farid Chehab, Michael Conrad, Ivan Čimburov, Meta Dobnikar, Catalin Dobre, Dushan Drakalski, Mihnea Gheorghiu, Csaba Gosztonyi, Andrey Gubaydullin, Ami Hasan, Mariusz Jan Demner, Jaime Mandelbaum, Jiri Mikeš, Juli Nemes, Johannes Newrkla, Günseli Özen, Milka Pogliani, Ulrich Proeschel, Jorg Riommi, Jason Romeyko, Eka Ruola, Daniel Ružička, Dragan Sakan, Marcin Sosiński, Juraj Vaculik, Vital Verlič, Jarek Ziebinski and Darek Zatorski.
Golden Drum Festival will be held from 12 to 13 October 2026 in Grand Hotel Bernardin, Portorož, Slovenia. Golden Drum Competition is open for entries.
