AKQA has appointed Tara McKenty as executive creative director, strengthening the agency’s leadership team as it continues its integration with whiteGREY.
In her role, McKenty will collaborate closely with AKQA Australia’s senior leadership team, including Tim Devine, executive creative director, Iona Macgregor, chief strategy officer, and Justine Leong, general manager Sydney, to continue driving excellence and growth within the region.
McKenty brings over 16 years of creative industry experience across the APAC region, including a decade leading Google’s creative team across APAC. Her work has been celebrated globally, earning awards at all major festivals, including a coveted Gold for Creative Innovation at Cannes Lions.
She has served on high-profile juries such as the Cannes Lions Innovation Jury. She is also the founder of D&AD RARE, a global initiative supporting underrepresented groups thriving within the creative industries.
Leong said: “Tara is an exceptional talent whose creative excellence and leadership have left an indelible mark on the industry. Her commitment to innovation and inclusion aligns perfectly with AKQA’s mission to create a better future. We’re delighted to have Tara join us and are excited about the impact she will bring to our clients and team.”
McKenty said of her new role: “AKQA is renowned for creating work that blends creativity, technology, and humanity in meaningful ways. I’m looking forward to working with a strong team of leaders and partnering with our clients to build innovative and impactful experiences that truly make a difference.”
Earlier this year, WPP creative agencies AKQA and Grey completed its merger. The move comes three and a half years after they were combined globally to form the AKQA Group, and three months after the move to operationally merge the two agencies in Australia was announced. As part of the merger, whiteGREY CEO Lee Simpson departed the business.
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Top image: Nicole Armstrong (executive strategy director Australia), Tara McKenty (executive creative director Australia), Justine Leong (general manager Sydney), and Iona Macgregor (chief strategy officer Australia).