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akqa

AKQA restructures in Japan under Itochu JV
akqa wpp By Staff Reporters

AKQA Tokyo is dissolved as a legal entity, to be merged with AKQA uka, the WPP agency's joint venture with Itochu, into a single entity known as AKQA Japan.

WPP consolidates Grey and Ogilvy’s back-office operations
akqa grey ogilvy wpp By Lucy Shelley

Consolidation is part of Grey’s split from AKQA into Ogilvy in May.

WPP hires AKQA global CEO from Accenture
accenture ajaz ahmed akqa baiju shah ceo appointment wpp By Shauna Lewis

Baiju Shah replaces founder Ajaz Ahmed, who left in October 2024.

CEO Sharlene Wu exits Grey and AKQA China
akqa china grey sharlene wu wpp By Minnie Wang

The award-winning advertising veteran and longtime creative leader is relocating to the US after a 20-year career in the region.

Creative agency shake-up at WPP: Grey to move into Ogilvy Group
akqa grey ogilvy thebigconsolidation By Gideon Spanier

Grey will split from AKQA as part of the move.

WPP’s Mark Read on the new-biz pipeline, rebuilding in-office culture and not 'surrendering’ AKQA
akqa earnings season mark read wpp By Beau Jackson

CEO asserts that more time in-office will make WPP a 'stronger company in five years' time'.

Former AKQA boss Ajaz Ahmed launches shop to ‘rival slow, bureaucratic agencies’
ajaz ahmed akqa By Lucy Shelley

Studio.One makes its debut with several ex-AKQA staffers.

AKQA announces global leadership appointments amid ongoing restructure
ajaz ahmed akqa global appointments sam kelly By Staff Reporters

Tim Devine moves as AUNZ ECD to global chief invention officer. Plus, new global leads for strategy, technology, and transformation.

AKQA co-founder Tom Bedecarré dies, aged 69
akqa obituary tom bedecarré wpp By Beau Jackson

'Silicon Valley’s favourite ad man' is honoured by friends and colleagues.

Mark Read on WPP’s creative agencies slump, big clients spending more and four-day office mandate
akqa creative agencies four day office mandate mark read omnicomipg merger wpp By Gideon Spanier

CEO dismissed idea WPP might sell AKQA in Campaign interview.

AKQA restructures into three P&Ls, names CEOs to lead them
akqa grey wpp By Will Green

Brian Vella, managing partner in APAC, is now chief executive of the region.

AKQA global marketing chief Sam Kelly departs
akqa sam kelly By Shauna Lewis

Kelly's exit follows that of founder Ajaz Ahmed in October.

AKQA Group CEO Ajaz Ahmed resigns after 30 years
ajaz ahmed akqa By Lucy Shelley

Ahmed founded the business in 1994. It was acquired by WPP in 2012.

How Cannes jury presidents judged AI
accenture song ai akqa campaign at cannes cannes lions elon musk havas omg By Brandon Doerrer

Despite all the hype about AI-created campaigns, jury presidents say the technology had a minimal influence on award-winning work this year.

AKQA brings in Nobuhiro Arai as its new Tokyo ECD
akqa Hakuhodo tbwa By Robert Sawatzky

The award-winning creative director joins AKQA from TBWA Hakuhodo in a bid to connect the WPP design-led innovation agency more strongly to Japanese culture.

AKQA and Grey merge operations in five markets in efficiency drive
akqa grey By Gideon Spanier

AKQA will become the sole brand in Australia while Grey will lead merged operations in China as part of a 'strategic realignment' to allow Grey to focus on 'growth markets'.

Agency Report Card 2023: AKQA
advertising agencies agency report card agency report cards akqa apac evaluation research By Staff Reporters

The design-led agency continues to produce interesting work, but we didn’t see enough evidence of business growth or benefits from its partnership with Grey.

Campaign Chemistry: AKQA founder and CEO Ajaz Ahmed
ajaz ahmed akqa nike By Alison Weissbrot

Ahmed talks about 30 years at AKQA and how the agency stays ahead of the curve.

WPP creative agency revenues down 1.6% in 2023 while GroupM's rise by 4.9%
akqa groupm ogilvy vml wpp By Ben Bold

North America saw revenues fall by 2.7% for the year, while APAC, Latin America, Africa, Middle East and Central and Eastern Europe grew organic revenues by 3.7%.

Agency Report Card 2022: AKQA
advertising agencies agency report card agency report cards akqa apac evaluation research By Staff Reporters

Strong in CX and digital transformation, the agency excels in purpose-led innovations but isn’t growing at the pace one might expect.

Havas’ Laura Maness joins Grey Group as global CEO
akqa grey havas laura maness By Jessica Heygate

Maness is tasked with refreshing Grey’s strategy and vision 18 months after merging with AKQA.

Michael Houston named WPP US president as AKQA Group CEO takes over Grey
ajaz ahmed akqa grey wpp By Jessica Heygate

The longtime Grey leader will oversee the holding company’s largest market as Ajaz Ahmed takes over leadership of AKQA Group.

Digital-savvy AKQA faces identity crisis
advertising agencies agency report card agency report cards akqa apac evaluation research By Staff Reporters

AGENCY REPORT CARD: AKQA maintains high scores in terms of CX, experience design, vision, client co-innovation for four years. Yet, it stays mum on its integration with Grey.

Agency Report Card 2021: AKQA
advertising agencies agency report card agency report cards akqa apac evaluation media agencies research By Staff Reporters

AKQA continued to change shape in 2021 as it became the target of more mergers—although its integration with Grey has been mysteriously quiet. While AKQA figured out its identity, it was distracted from progressing in key areas like DEI.

Loewe's Aika Sawai on more liberating roles for women in Japan's luxury sector and the need for bold agencies
akqa By Barry Lustig

Loewe Japan's director of marketing and communications opens up on her move from agency to brand and the ongoing challenges of digital luxury experiences.

AKQA acquires BrewDog branding agency Made Thought to boost design offer
akqa mergers and acquisitions wpp By Daniel Farey-Jones

WPP agency has created a new design group to house Made Thought and two other design agencies it has majority stakes in.

AKQA promotes Hideaki Hara to lead its Japan business
akqa japan By Robert Sawatzky

Appointment part of leadership transition following Sam Sterling's promotion late last year

L'Oreal opens omnichannel concept store in Shanghai
akqa By Staff Reporters

Designed with AKQA, the store has a livestreaming set, face-scanning technology and personalised shopping via WeChat integration, as well as a chance to ride a bike through the streets of Paris.

Levi’s ‘buy better’ global campaign enlists Marcus Rashford
akqa global campaign levis By Emmie Harrison-West

Six activists talk up jeans brand’s sustainability credentials.

AKQA vets launch new global agency, Said Differently
akqa By Alison Weissbrot

Founded by Rachel Barek and Brian Skahan, this agency staffs accounts with experienced principals and leans into flexible talent.

BBDO's scary ride
advertising agencies agency report card agency report cards akqa apac BBDO evaluation media agencies research By Staff Reporters

AGENCY REPORT CARD: After years of putting art ahead of science, BBDO found itself in a tougher spot than others in a pandemic-plagued year with less scope for grand creative campaigns.

Digitally savvy AKQA thrust into spotlight in 2020
advertising agencies agency report card agency report cards akqa apac evaluation media agencies research By Staff Reporters

AGENCY REPORT CARD: The nature of AKQA’s work meant it was well-placed to help clients navigate the shift to online experiences during the pandemic. Now, the four-office APAC agency is strapping in for a bigger, bumpier ride in 2021.

Tennis Australia launches audio stream to allow blind to follow sport
akqa inclusivity

Design and innovation agency AKQA and Monash University helped to build the technology that will be piloted during the Australian Open finals.

Agency Report Card 2020: AKQA
advertising agencies agency report card agency report cards akqa apac creative agencies evaluation media agencies research By Staff Reporters

The nature of AKQA’s work meant it was well-placed to help clients navigate online experiences for the first time, helping it sail through the pandemic. But it’s strapping in for a bigger, bumpier ride in 2021.

In a rough 2020, incumbents and upstarts took divergent M&A paths
acquisition advertising akqa Dentsu grey ipg ma mergers Publicis s4 capital spotify wpp By Rahul Sachitanand

YEAR IN REVIEW: As the pandemic crippled adspend, older networks preserved cash, while newer operators made opportunistic deals.

Making sense of AKQA-Grey merger: 'absolutely necessary' but with risks
advertising akqa grey merger wpp By Gideon Spanier

WPP says past mergers of creative and digital agencies mean this new combination should work but there are hurdles.

Parody 'GreyKQA' website makes fun of AKQA-Grey merger
advertising agency akqa grey merger s4 wpp By Emmet McGonagle

Pranksters have set up spoof domain names and social media accounts in name of GreyKQA, AKQGrey and AKQA Group.

WPP won’t rush to drop Grey brand after AKQA merger
akqa grey merger wpp By Gideon Spanier

Sources say it was always WPP's intention that Grey and AKQA brands would co-exist 'for some time'.

AKQA-Grey merger will not happen ‘overnight’ in APAC
ajaz ahmed akqa grey mergers and acquisitions By Surekha Ragavan

It might take up to six months to name a leader in the region, says AKQA CEO Ajaz Ahmed.

WPP merges AKQA and Grey to form AKQA Group
akqa grey mergers and acquisitions wpp By Gideon Spanier

Grey agency brand is to be dropped after 103 years as part of merger to create brand experience agency that combines digital and creative.

Sam Sterling promoted to AKQA chief strategy officer in APAC
akqa apac chief strategy officer By Rahul Sachitanand

She previously led the agency's Shanghai and Tokyo studios for three years.

Where do Chinese brands go from here?
akqa edelman sounding board By Surekha Ragavan

SOUNDING BOARD: COVID-19 has affected global trust in China, so we asked experts whether this might affect the fate of international Chinese brands, such as Huawei and TikTok.

AKQA launches global radio station to improve morale during lockdown
akqa wfh By Michael Heusner

The global broadcast will likely carry on post-COVID-19.

WFH diary: A sweet father-daughter adventure
akqa australia By Gerard Mason

AKQA Melbourne's creative technologist documents his WFH experience by way of his daughter's drawings.

Is AKQA a silent powerhouse in the WPP network?
agency performance agency report card akqa apac By Staff Reporters

AGENCY REPORT CARD: See AKQA's overall grade and our detailed report breaking down its 2019 performance in terms of leadership, creativity, innovation, business growth, and people/diversity initiatives.

Agency Report Card 2019: AKQA
agency performance agency report card akqa apac By Staff Reporters

After two leadership departures in Tokyo, a new market remit for Greater China lead Sam Sterling, and a merger for the Australia team, AKQA has had to deal with a few changes. See how it performed.

Publicis Sapient hires AKQA's Ian Wharton as global experience team ECD
akqa experience By Omar Oakes

John Maeda's team is continuing to grow.

AKQA claims free code can prevent illegal Amazon forest-clearing
akqa climate change climate crisis environment By Omar Oakes

Embedded into the GPS systems in construction vehicles, the 'Code of conscience' tracks illegal entry into protected zones.

AKQA unites China and Japan under Sam Sterling
akqa wpp

The agency will offer clients cross-border solutions across China and Japan as a result of the new leadership structure

Q&A: AKQA's Sam Sterling on how she plans to bring China and Japan closer together
akqa wpp

Sam Sterling believes China and Japan can be stronger together than apart, despite their cultural and commercial differences