Observed Signal · Jul 9, 2026 · Hiring · Source: Meedia · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
True Effect hires Daniel Richau as Creative MD
True Effect, a media agency founded in early 2025, has appointed Daniel Richau as Managing Director for Creative Services and made him a shareholder. The hire, effective 2026-07-01, is part of True Effect’s strategy to better integrate creative work with media planning and to strengthen its service offering. Founder and CEO Axel Bellieno said on LinkedIn that the agency is moving beyond effect-focused media planning to make creativity central to campaign success. True Effect said Richau — who previously worked at La Red, Plan.Net and began his career at Elephant Seven (today Digitas) — joins existing managing directors Axel Bellieno and Daniel Kunkel; the agency also cooperates with Hamburg-based KDM and its CEO Daniel Weber.
Personnel move strengthens integration of creative services with media planning at a young agency and signals a trend of media agencies emphasizing creative effectiveness, but it is not industry-shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- True Effect was founded in early 2025.
- Daniel Richau joined True Effect on 2026-07-01 as Managing Director for Creative Services and became a shareholder.
- Axel Bellieno is founder and CEO of True Effect and announced the hire in a LinkedIn post.
- Richau previously worked at La Red and Plan.Net and began his creative career at Elephant Seven (today Digitas).
- True Effect cooperates with Hamburg agency KDM and its managing director Daniel Weber and his 15-person team; Uli Bellieno is an advisory shareholder.
Connected Companies & Entities
7 Entities mapped“The three met at the media agency pilot and worked together there on clients from the telco, pharma and energy sectors....”
“Richau also worked at La Red and Plan.Net....”
“Uli Bellieno, the father of Axel and an advisory shareholder, was previously a managing director at Starcom and RTL and is now retired....”
“MEEDIA followed up with Bellieno for further comments about the hire....”
“Uli Bellieno, the father of Axel and an advisory shareholder, was previously a managing director at Starcom and RTL and is now retired....”
“The small agency True Effect cooperates with the Hamburg agency KDM and its managing director Daniel Weber with his 15-strong team....”
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