From the release:

Zoic Studios, the legendary visual effects studio, has announced Nicole Fina has joined the company as Senior Executive Producer of its Advertising arm. A longtime veteran of the visual effects and post production industries, Fina joins Zoic from AFX Creative; prior to that, she spent over half a decade at Digital Domain helming their commercial and games divisions.

In addition, Zoic (https://www.zoicstudios.com/) has welcomed Aladino Debert to the position of Executive Creative Director. In his new role, Debert will supervise effects and lead creative teams working across the full gamut of Zoic’s business, from feature films and episodic television to games, digital experiences, advertising and brand content. Debert joined Zoic in January of 2024 after a storied 14 year tenure at Digital Domain.

Announcing these new positions was Chris Jones, Zoic Studios Co-Founder and ECD. “Welcoming an artist of Aladino’s caliber to the position of Executive Creative Director is a recognition not only of his body of work, but his contribution to the overall creative output of Zoic,” says Jones. “Simply put, Aladino makes the work better, regardless of what role he’s playing, whether that’s as a Creative Director, a VFX Supervisor, a director or just a mentor helping talent thrive and grow within the studio.

“Combining this move with the addition of someone of Nicole’s pedigree, with her deep experience and knowledge and her extensive network of creatives, producers, artists and clients, makes Zoic better, stronger, and more creative as we move forward,” Jones continues. “The advertising landscape is changing rapidly, and Nicole has her finger on the pulse of the industry. Her contributions are going to be simply massive, and our entire team are thrilled to have her on board.”

Starting her career as an agency producer at Grey Advertising in New York, Fina has since gone on to lead teams that have delivered renowned work for brands such as MGM+, GM, Cricket, NFL, Apple, Nike, BMW, Wendy’s, Hyundai, Intel, Google, Kia, Meta, Activision, EA and many others. Work that she and her colleagues produced has been recognized by The Clio Awards, Cannes Lions, the Visual Effects Society, BDA, the Telly Awards and the AICP Show.

In addition to her tenure at Digital Domain, Fina has also worked at such post houses as MPC, Method, Psyop and Troika prior to joining Zoic. She’s overseen post production on work running during tentpole events like the Academy Awards broadcast and the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Commenting on why she’s joined Zoic, Fina says the studio offers the best of both worlds – top-level creative resources (and the pipeline to support their work), coupled with engaged, hands-on ownership that allows for quick response and ultimate flexibility. “I’ve worked with large studios, including those that are publicly owned, and I’ve seen how things can get bogged down and disconnected” she comments. “Coming to Zoic allows me to bring it all back to the creative, which is what I like most about this industry. It’s got big studio capability coupled with small studio accountability, flexibility, and frankly, pride. We’re fiercely independent, still owned by the same artists who started the company 22 years ago – and who remain heavily involved and engaged. And since they got their start in the commercial world, it’s an environment they know, love and support.”

Fina’s brief in helming Zoic’s advertising business encompasses more than just leading sales, but also bringing a wholistic view of strategy, growth, team collaboration and trust. “My hope here is to bring more opportunities to the table, whether it’s through my connections, through growing the sales team or just getting the word out among people to understand Zoic is doing high end visual effects work and very much active in the short form space” she says. “There’s a host of new outlets today, especially with the growth of in-house departments at agencies, holding companies and brands. Zoic offers them something no in-house department could replicate, and that’s important for them to know.”

Fina is also happy to be reunited with Debert, as the two worked closely during their time at Digital Domain, delivering award-winning work as a team. On his new role at the studio, Debert notes, “This speaks directly to my passion for creating immersive, visually stunning experiences – whether it’s bringing a story to life or shaping a compelling ad campaign.”

After studying architecture in his native Argentina, Debert moved to New York City to continue his studies of computer-assisted design as a student at Pratt Institute. Witnessing firsthand the emerging and growing field of visual effects, and led by a fascination with computer graphics and digital filmmaking, he launched his career working for small studios in New York before relocating to Los Angeles.

Debert, a multiple VES, Emmy, HPA and Clio awards winner and nominee, went on to lead countless creative teams over the years in both short and long form projects. Having worked on renowned brands such as BMW, Nike, Pepsi and Audi, and shows like “Citadel,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Lost in Space,” “Outlander” and “Black Sails,” Debert is well known in the industry for his attention to detail, creative leadership and ability to elevate work.

Debert explains that he knew the Zoic founders from when they all worked at Radium and had stayed in touch, and followed each other’s careers, ever since. After wrapping a series for Marvel, they reached out to him late in 2023. “They were looking for a set of fresh eyes, and wanted to bring in different points of view,” he recalls of their pitch. In his new role as Executive Creative Director, he’ll be tasked with reviewing work on both the advertising and entertainment fronts. “I jumped at the opportunity to take this on, because I’m happiest when working on a range of projects, surrounded by talented artists. It allows you to embrace and experiment with different kinds of storytelling.

“And now that Nicole is here, the mission has expanded,” Debert continues. “The talent has always been here; our goal is to make sure our name is in the hat. We can compete with anyone, and we’re proud of our work. And what’s best, and Nicole has referenced this, is that our owners are super collaborative and supportive. They want us to go out there and make great work together, and simply put, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Fina and Debert join Zoic’s esteemed Los Angeles leadership team, which includes Chris Jones, ECD/Partner; Julien Brami, CD and VFX Supervisor; Executive Producer Sabrina Harrison-Gazdik, Executive Producer; and RJ Peristere, Associate EP, who work in support of all advertising-related content.