The perpetuum mobile of our agency. Her unyielding self-discipline got her a Gold Lion at Cannes – and she’s equally strict with the team, too! (That’s why it never takes us very long to get started.) Thanks to her, we got Pixride, Story Store and MADS in-house projects off the ground. She’s a team player who strongly believes that “none of us is better than all of us”, the creed we all came to believe in. She’s also a proud wielder of the Black Mistress title, both because of her propensity for dark outfits and her uncompromising management approach. 

Spent half of his career at DDVB as an art-director. There, he worked mostly on design projects for prominent Russian and global clients. Sasha has learned all of the intricacies that lead to a great UI, product packaging or corporate identity. He brings flawless visual style to all our campaigns. In addition to that, he works tirelessly to improve the team’s taste in music, with his playlist of wistful WU LYF songs, that he plays on repeat.

Max is a creative director with a strategic mindset. He chokes mercilessly any attempts to be creative just for the sake of creativity, and only supports ideas that are based on human truth, and brand and product identity. He enjoys drawing charts that swiftly transform a ten-page brief into a clear execution workflow. In addition, he somehow possesses an irresistible sway over the ladies of all ages. So if you are on the impressionable side, please be advised.

His voice has a miraculously soothing effect on clients, and his rich experience in working for network agencies enables us to push on and tackle the hardest projects. Denis always makes the top lists for the most awarded experts in the industry. At the same time, he puts a lot of effort into nurturing a new breed of creatives. Denis is also the resident dad of the agency: we test all of our ideas for children’s projects against him and his little daughter Emma.

A graduate of both the Higher School of Economics and MADS courses, he’s one of the youngest and yet one of the most experienced and formidable art directors at Friends. A “visual addict” is an appropriate description. He studies passionately anything even remotely related to visual arts, graphic design, UI, motion design and navigation systems. He’s an expert in 3D graphics and a Formula One fan. Also, he bears an uncanny resemblance to Serge Gainsbourg, without speaking a single word in French.

Here is our most exacting manager who is usually in charge of large-scale international projects. Daria has worked with all kinds of clients, from Olympics or Google to sausage factories. She believes that a true account manager is the one who is able to answer emails from a nightclub at 5 AM. Subsequently, she is the first to escape office to see the latest theatre play or spend an couple of hours practicing ballet. Also, we owe her for most our in-jokes.

The master of flexible methodology and complex structural tasks. Nothing is impossible for Peter. His motto is “let’s go and roll out that prototype!”. He is a human mainframe that stores all the data even remotely related to designing and running interactive and digital projects. He secretly dreams of living long enough to see those all-too-delicate managers finally learning even the simplest of programming languages, so he could finally talk to them like normal people.

Dima is a real craftsman. Partly, this could be attributed to his education (since his diploma says that he is a Master in Artistic Processing of Materials). But he is not only a solid art director, but also an illustration artist with a great sense of humour. His characters grace all of the MADS files and cases. He is also a real player who has mastered the art of rapping – a trait that nevertheless doesn’t preclude him from approaching his work as a refined aesthete.

Started his career at Friends by winning his very first pitch. Most of the challenges, he faces and overcomes both as a copywriter and as an art director. Andrey is so fond of thinking stuff through that he simply cannot pass by a room where a brainstorm is on without barging in. This is why we sometimes work on our projects in secret. He never gives up… even if he loses 6-0 in our agency FIFA tournament.

A diehard CEO with immense experience in building super-successful business startups. In her past life, Daria used to develop premium products for oil companies, hotels and restaurants. Now, she works with us. Aside from her hypnotic  influence on tax administrators, acquisition departments and clients’ lawyers, she also moonlights as a supermom, a diver and a mountainboarder.

Anya is the only member of the team who holds the esoteric knowledge of how to arrange a delivery, switch the coffee maker on, and navigate across the sea of bureaucratic acronyms that we’ve never properly learned. She is a genuine, cold-blooded account manager. What’s more, Ann is an overachiever wife to an extreme sports athlete: together they conquer water, snow, asphalt and airspace with impunity.

Says her parents must’ve got a good laugh out of choosing her name. The client that Margot mainly works with is Google. Graduated from Moscow State University and University of Wales. Loves travel and horseback riding, and intends to learn Italian and French. Believes that if one starts something, one should see it through to the end, instead of whining. Always looks for a silver lining, and makes it a point to never swear.

Oleg dreams of living in California, but feels that Kantemirovskaya metro station will do for now. Used to play in a punk band, hence his favor for creative content that’s capable of kicking ass. Aside from his creative duties, he’s also responsible for agency’s poker nights and cigar supplies. Likes a lot of spicy bite in his food, his music and his ideas.

A copywriter with a strategist’s background; the first creative in the agency who didn’t come from MADS courses; after graduating from British Higher School of Art and Design (Moscow) and Wordshop academy, landed several positions as a brand manager and a strategist. Some might call him a polymath; in Albert’s case, it’s more likely a case of multiple personality disorder. Cultural anthropology, contemporary art, philosophy, urbanism… his range of interests.

Brought up on Monet’s paintings and fridge magnets with Florentine views. Capable of telling Arial from Helvetica from 150 ft away in adverse weather conditions. Enamored with color black, and knows more than 120 shades of it by heart, from Onyx to Independence. Can be often seen wearing feminine dresses while cursing into a 27-inch display when her Photoshop glitches out again. The rest of the time Ira spends watching movies at the Pioner theater — they even have a chair with her name on it.

Daria loves counting things and knows how to do it. She is especially good at counting other people’s money — a skill she got from working in the banking sector. She’d had ample time to fall in love with numbers and ledgers, but married a soccer player in the end. She loves fashion and going to fashion shows, and collects shoes and bags; she also likes a good meal, and her own cooking is notoriously moreish.

She believes in being structured and consistent. In Yulia’s mind, this is the only way to succeed in any endeavor; on the other hand, she believes that conservative thinking has no place in creative business. Nothing can’t stop her — and she’s not going to, either. Meanwhile, her passion for seeking new opportunities inspires others. When we feel exhausted, she encourages us by saying: “The best thing you can get out of work is to do more of it!”.

The restless soul of the agency. His owner Alexander Zavatskiy has named him after the singer of his (inevitably British) favorite band, Oasis. It is imperative to keep your briefs, contracts, electrical wires, feet, expensive shoes, women, children and infirm from Liam at all times.