AKQA Americas Alters the Composition of its Leadership Squad
In the aftermath of a major global makeover, AKQA has revealed a fresh crew of leaders in the Americas. Here's the lowdown:
Tesa Aragones, who was the president of North America, has been speedily promoted to CEO of the Americas, marking a first for the agency. Previously, Jabari Hearn, a managing partner, now steers the ship as the Chief Marketing and Growth Officer for the Americas. Lastly, long-timer Giles McCormack, who's been with AKQA for sixteen years and was a managing partner, has been named the Chief Client Officer, tasked with fortifying client relationships and optimizing resources across the region.
Excited about the new team, Aragones shared in a statement: "At AKQA, our burning ambition is to continuously break new ground. This fearless group of innovators encapsulates the creative, progressive, and purposeful ethos that defines AKQA."
Behind the Scenes
On a larger scale, AKQA underwent a complete overhaul. The departure of founder and CEO Ajaz Ahmed paved the way for a new batch of global leaders, including crucial roles in the Americas. Whilst specifics about leaders like Tesa, Jabari, and Giles' past achievements within the organization are scant, their advancements signify impressive leadership experience.
The global shake-up also created three profit-and-loss centers: the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific. Each region now boasts a regional chief executive, with Brian Vella leading the way for the Asia-Pacific region. This restructuring aims to boost operational efficiency and improve client delivery across different regions by centralizing strategy, technology, and delivery processes under a single leadership framework[1][2].
Global Reinforcements
In addition to the changes in the Americas, AKQA also welcomed various international heavy-hitters:- Miriam Plon Sauer rejoined AKQA from McCann Worldgroup as the Global Chief Strategy Officer.- Benjamin Royce joined from Google Cloud, stepping into the role of Chief Technology Officer.- Tim Devine, long-time AKQA creative, was elevated to the position of Chief Invention Officer.- Last but not least, Jonathan Bolden climbed the ranks to the role of Chief Transformation Officer[1][3].
These appointments hint at a strategic growth towards enhancing AKQA's capabilities in strategy, technology, and innovation, thereby offering transformative solutions for clients[2][3].
- Jabari Hearn, now the Chief Marketing and Growth Officer, steers the growth and marketing strategy in the Americas within AKQA.
- Tesa Aragones, the Regional CEO of the Americas, is tasked with strengthening AKQQ's leadership and business in the region, as the agency undergoes an unrelenting drive towards growth and innovation.
- Giles McCormack, appointed as the Chief Client Officer, aims to refine client relationships, optimize resources, and bolster AKQA's standing in the competitive market across the region.
- In a move to centralize strategy, technology, and delivery processes, global finance leader Brian Vella leads the Asia-Pacific region, overseeing improvements in operational efficiency.
- The strategic appointments of Miriam Plon Sauer as Global Chief Strategy Officer, Benjamin Royce as Chief Technology Officer, Tim Devine as Chief Invention Officer, and Jonathan Bolden as Chief Transformation Officer enhance AKQA's capabilities in strategy, technology, and innovation, contributing to global business expansion and client transformation.
