Manifest Communications has hired David Daga as executive creative director, leading the social change-focused agency’s creative direction.

Daga, who started at Manifest yesterday, was most recently SVP and creative director at Cossette, where he led accounts including McDonald’s, Intact Insurance and General Mills. He joined Cossette in late 2007 as creative director after roles at Publicis and DDB.

The ECD role is new for Manifest, and includes both leading creative and playing a role in business development, says Andrea Donlan, Manifest’s president and CEO. “It’s a strategic role in addition to just being a creative director,” she says.

Last summer, Manifest hired Deepak Mehmi as creative director, who later moved on to Critical Mass in March. As Manifest hunted for a replacement, the calibre of applicants prompted it to create the ECD role, Donlan says.

Manifest has worked with clients including Canadian Tire, Shoppers Drug Mart and Manulife Financial.