The branding and design agency Peter Schmidt Group is establishing a presence in Milan: Since May 15, it has been offering Italian clients and partners creative minds, short lines of communication, and the expertise of more than fifty years of integrated design work. 

The agency was founded in 1972 by Peter Schmidt, whose iconic work for HUGO BOSS, Jil Sander, and Joop helped shape a modern understanding of lifestyle branding in Germany. Since then, the Peter Schmidt Group has become one of Europe’s leading design agencies, known for its holistic service offering and for managing some of the world’s most prominent brands: It serves as lead agency for Deutsche Telekom, E.ON, and Deutsche Bank. Many major consumer brands also rely on the agency’s strategic clarity, creative excellence, and technological innovation – including Persil, Nivea, and Tesa. Products designed by the Peter Schmidt Group are present on supermarket shelves throughout Germany. Peter Schmidt Group is part of the BBDO Group and opens its office in Milan in the same building where BBDO is also based. Marianna Ghirlanda, CEO BBDO Italy: “In other European markets, we've already seen how well the work of BBDO and Peter Schmidt Group complement each other. Brands benefit from seamless combination of design expertise and communication strength. I'm happy we're now making this offering accessible to clients throughout Italy.” 

 

International offices for client proximity and creative diversity 

The move to Milan is part of the agency’s consistent internationalization strategy. In addition to its headquarters in Hamburg and offices in Frankfurt, Munich, and Düsseldorf, the Peter Schmidt Group established a location in Tokyo at an early stage. Lisbon followed in 2022 – and now Milan. Lukas Cottrell, CEO: “Milan is one of Europe’s most important creative hubs – a place where design excellence and economic relevance come together in a unique way. Our presence here is a logical next step to offer our clients even more international design expertise, close collaboration, and deep cultural understanding.” 

The strong growth of the Lisbon office proves that this strategy is working: In just three years, the team has grown to twelve people, working for leading brands across Portugal and Spain. But each new location also brings valuable creative impulses for the agency as a whole: “Our clients operate globally – and they expect strategic brand design that accounts for culturally diverse perspectives,” says Cottrell. “That’s why we choose inspiring places like Milan – they spark our creativity and attract talent that broadens our way of thinking.” 
 

Two seasoned creatives and room to grow 

The Milan team will be launched by two experienced designers: Carolina Mauri, Head of Graphic Design, and Gianluca Carone, Senior Graphic Designer. The duo has worked together for seven years on brands within the BBDO network – including Porsche, Kawasaki, Ace cleaning products, and Salone del Mobile. “Being part of the Peter Schmidt Group gives us exciting new opportunities to bring together our local design perspective and global impact – and to create outstanding work,” says Mauri. Together with Carone, she will work in close coordination with Executive Creative Director Inga Wolter. 

 

Further expansion of the Milan office will be linked to local new business development. Florian Lauffer, Chief Growth Officer of the Peter Schmidt Group: “Many brand managers and marketing executives in Italy already know the Peter Schmidt Group. It is an honor for us to show them the full range of what we can do, from classic branding to AI-supported design management.”