Zara is a freelance creative who builds desire for fashion, beauty & lifestyle brands. Her superpower is giving marketeers a laser focussed approach on how to uncover their brands authentic voice and deepen its place on the cultural zeitgeist. 

From luxury to the high street, she’s led awarded advertising campaigns, worked on transformational global strategies and launched brands into new markets. Her work is often stereotype-smashing, empathetic creative that reaches female audiences at scale & grows businesses. She was Creative Director at Portas Agency under ‘The queen of shops’ Mary Portas, giving her a wealth of full-funnel retail expertise, delivering elevated creative & experiences across a broad spectrum of digital & physical media. 

Zara featured in Creative Equals x Campaign’s ‘Future Leaders List’ as a top 30 emerging female leader in ad-land, she is a member of Purpose Disruptor’s ‘Change The Brief’ Sustainability Alliance, a Campaign Global Big Awards judge for 2023/4, a Creative Mentor Network Ambassador and regular contributing voice for titles including The Drum, Campaign, WARC, AdWeek and Vogue Business. 

Freelance Creative
2024

Executive Creative Director | fashion & lifestyle - House337
2022 - 2024

Creative Director - Portas Agency
2017 - 2021

Senior Art Director - Portas Agency
2011 - 2017

Creative Brand Manager - Overland Footwear Group NZ (in-house)
2010-2011

Campaign & Creative Equals ‘Future Leaders List’ - Top 30 female & non-binary creatives in ad land

Creative Mentor Network Ambassador

Member of Purpose Disruptor’s ‘Change The Brief’ Sustainability Alliance

Campaign Big Global Awards Judge 2023/4

Contributing voice for The Drum, Campaign, WARC, AdWeek, Vogue Business

Liberty 
M&S
Church’s Shoes / Prada
Mercedes-Benz
Kurt Geiger Group
The Body Shop
Simply Be
JD Williams
Cult Beauty
Sainsbury’s Tu
Sainsbury’s Beauty
Habitat 
G-Star
Clinique 
Clarks Shoes
Cambridge Satchel Co. 
Puma
Westfield