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Omnicom Advertising Canada names its first-ever head of AI

By Andrea Hernandez
April 14, 2026

Omnicom Advertising Canada’s head of AI, Eli Ferrara

Omnicom Advertising Canada has promoted Eli Ferrara to the role of head of AI for Canada.

In this newly created role, the first of its kind for Omnicom in Canada, Ferrara will lead AI strategy and the application of emerging technologies across the network’s Canadian agencies, including TBWA\Canada and McCann Canada.

Omnicom says Ferrara will lead the adoption of agentic AI workflows across core operations, helping the organization shift from standalone generative tools to more advanced systems that can independently manage and co-ordinate multi-step tasks. AI, Ferrara said in the release, will create new ways to think about and produce creative work that didn’t exist before, expanding the technology’s role beyond improving efficiency to shaping how ideas are developed and brought to life.

He will also be shaping the company’s broader AI direction, helping establish the infrastructure required to scale AI across agencies and functions. In addition, his role includes building external technology partnerships, advising senior leadership on AI-related decisions and driving internal capability-building so teams can effectively use and adopt the tools into their daily workflows.

“He’s a trusted partner across our agencies and with the brands we serve, always pushing us to explore how emerging technologies can elevate creativity rather than replace it,”  Bryan Kane, CEO at Omnicom Advertising Canada, said in the release. “As AI continues to transform our industry, Eli will play a critical role in ensuring Omnicom Advertising Canada remains at the forefront and leads with responsible, innovative and creatively distinctive applications of AI that help our agencies deliver stronger ideas, clearer brand differentiation, and measurable effectiveness for our clients.”

Ferrara is being promoted after more than two years at Omnicom’s FCB Global, where he was head of creative innovation. Prior to that, he spent four years at FCB Canada, now TBWA\Canada, most recently serving as the shop’s VP of creative innovation.

During his time at FCB, he led a range of projects, including BMO NXT LVL, an experimental banking activation that brought a financial institution into Twitch as an interactive digital experience; Spotify Spreadbeats, a creative project that used Excel as an unconventional medium to generate a music video; and LifeStyles Publicly Traded, a simulated stock exchange designed to engage audiences and raise awareness around STI prevention through a market-style concept.

His work has been recognized by major global award shows, including Cannes Lions, The One Show, Clio Awards, Effie Awards and The Drum Awards.