Global Restructuring at AKQA Following CEO's Departure
In a turn of events, approximately two months after the announcement of AKQA's founder and CEO, Ajaz Ahmed, leaving the company, the WPP-owned digital agency has overhauled its network to cater better to clients globally. This exclusive update was shared with ADWEEK.
The redesign seeks to streamline access to AKQA's offerings for clients, who are increasingly demanding integrated services and teams. The blueprint aims to achieve this by reorganizing the global agency under three Profit and Loss (P&L) divisions according to market: the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and Asia-Pacific (APAC).
A global executive committee has taken charge to guide this transformation, led by Stephan Pretorius, the interim chair of AKQA and the chief technology officer at WPP.
According to Pretorius, "We're transitioning from a studio-centric model to a client-centric model."
To drive this shift, AKQA has appointed four key executives to its global leadership team. These include Miriam Plon Sauer as the Global Chief Strategy Officer, rejoining from McCann Worldgroup; Benjamin Royce as the Chief Technology Officer, joining from Google Cloud; Tim Devine, elevated from Australia/New Zealand ECD to Global Chief Invention Officer; and Jonathan Bolden, promoted to Chief Transformation Officer[1][4].
In the Americas region, David Buckley has been promoted to Chief Strategy Officer, joined by other regional promotions such as Kristin Goto, Sarah Cunningham, and Carla Cartwright[2].
AKQA's new organizational structure, initiated towards the end of 2024, aims to integrate its capabilities more cohesively, improving its ability to deliver innovation at scale and prioritizing a more client-centric approach[3][5]. The appointments are designed to provide clients with a more integrated approach across strategy, technology, and delivery, which is essential for meeting client demands for seamless, multidisciplinary expertise across various markets[1][4].
AKQA is focusing on merging design, customer experience, brand storytelling, business strategy, technology, innovation, and AI to create comprehensive solutions. This integration is crucial for driving client success and delivering transformative solutions[4][5]. In the Americas, AKQA has introduced three integrated portfolios aimed at fostering a client-focused approach by aligning leadership with deep industry expertise, strategic vision, and creativity[2].
In summary, AKQA's reorganization revolves around strengthening its status as a global digital agency capable of supplying integrated and innovative services that fulfill the widening needs of its clients.
- The WPP-owned digital agency, AKQA, announced a redesign to simplify its network and cater better to clients globally, aiming to streamline access to its offerings.
- AKQA's reorganization aims to achieve this by reorganizing the global agency under three Profit and Loss (P&L) divisions according to market: Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), and will be guided by a global executive committee.
- To drive this shift, AKQA has appointed four key executives to its global leadership team, including Miriam Plon Sauer as the Global Chief Strategy Officer, rejoining from McCann Worldgroup, and Benjamin Royce as the Chief Technology Officer, joining from Google Cloud.
- AKQA's new organizational structure focuses on merging design, customer experience, brand storytelling, business strategy, technology, innovation, and AI to create comprehensive solutions, essential for meeting client demands for seamless, multidisciplinary expertise across various markets.
