Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Jason Graff named Global CCO of VML Health

VML Health has appointed Jason Graff as Global Chief Creative Officer, adding a senior healthcare creative leader to its global management team. Based in New York, Graff will oversee the agency’s creative direction across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

He joins from AREA 23 New York, where he spent nearly a decade as EVP, Executive Creative Director. At VML Health, Graff succeeds Mel Routhier, who is moving into the role of VML Co-CCO for North America. He will also become part of the VML Creative Council led by VML Global Chief Creative Officer Debbi Vandeven.

Global remit across specialist health communications

Graff will lead VML Health’s specialist creative network across life sciences, pharma, HCP, DTC and consumer health. His brief includes advancing the agency’s Human First creative positioning and working with teams across client leadership, strategy, business transformation, production, innovation, technology and creative disciplines.

The appointment comes as health brands face growing pressure to combine scientific accuracy with stronger brand experiences and new technology. VML Health said Graff will work across VML Health, VML and WPP to connect AI-driven innovation, science and creativity for clients navigating market and industry change.

Award record in healthcare creativity

Graff is described by the agency as one of the most awarded creatives in healthcare. Over the past nine years, his work has received 30 Cannes Lions, including two Grand Prix, 50 One Show Pencils, 49 London International Awards, 41 Clio Awards and 17 D&AD Pencils. He has also been ranked number one Executive Creative Director globally by The One Club and number two by The Drum.

His career spans both healthcare and consumer marketing. Before joining AREA 23, he held Executive Creative Director roles at Publicis and the Kaplan Thaler Group. His brand experience includes Wendy’s, Trojan Condoms and Abbott Nutrition. Work on Similac’s “Sisterhood of Motherhood” campaign is cited as an important step in his move toward brands with a stronger human and health-related purpose.

Experience across pharma, biotech and FMCG

In healthcare, Graff has worked across rare disease, immunology and respiratory care, oncology, neuroscience, ophthalmology, diabetes, metabolic disease and vaccines. The companies named in connection with his work include Pfizer, GSK, Amgen, AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly.

He has also led integrated work for major consumer and FMCG brands such as General Mills, Kraft, Office Depot, Tide and Wendy’s. VML Health positions this broader brand-building background as relevant for clients seeking more ambitious creative ideas while operating within medical and regulatory constraints.

Graff is also active in the international awards community. He has served as a juror for The One Show, the Clio Awards, London International Awards, New York Festivals and The Creative Floor. The agency also points to his mentoring and craft-focused work with emerging creative leaders.

VML leaders Debbi Vandeven and Claire Gillis framed the appointment as a move to strengthen VML Health’s global creative offer. Their comments emphasized Graff’s track record in high-science categories, his storytelling experience and his ability to bridge healthcare requirements with broader brand thinking.