Apple's Nick Law and Droga5's Sarah Thompson join Accenture Interactive - AdAge.com
Credit: Accenture Interactive
Accenture Interactive is on a talent tear: Nick Law, until recently Apple’s VP of marcom integration, along with Droga's 5 Global CEO Sarah Thompson, are joining the company in key leadership roles. Law, who confirmed to Ad Age at the end of last year that he was departing the tech giant, will be stepping into the role of Accenture Interactive’s global lead for design and creative tech, while Thompson will serve as global lead for communications and content.
Law, known for his expertise in working at the intersection of design and technology, will be charged with steering Accenture Interactive’s service and experience design capabilities to help the company’s clients address the evolving needs of consumers. Prior to Apple, he served for 17 tears at Interpublic Group of Cos.’ R/GA, ultimately as global chief creative officer. His most notable projects there included the Nike+ Fuelband and Beats Music for Beats by Dre.
Thompson’s move follows a more than decade-long tenure at Droga5, which she joined in 2008 as general manager after serving at agencies including BBH, Goodby Silverstein & Partners and Mullen. She steadily moved up the ranks to Droga5’s global CEO and was one of the driving forces behind the agency’s acquisition by Accenture Interactive in 2019.
“Two of the very first calls I made when I accepted my new role in September were to Nick Law and Sarah Thompson, respectively,” said Accenture Interactive CEO and Creative Chairman David Droga in a statement. “Nick is someone I have admired for well over a decade. From R/GA to Apple, he is truly one of the most future-facing design, technology and communications leaders. His work has inspired millions, grown revenue by the billions and set new benchmarks for how design and tech need one another to thrive.”
As for Thompson, “she has without a doubt been one of my most trusted and influential Droga5 partners, and certainly one of the smartest and most authentic people I have ever met,” Droga said. “We are spoiled and excited to have such exceptional leaders join this already incredible leadership team.”
Army of talent
The appointments are just the latest major hires under the Droga5 founder and creative chairman who moved up to the helm of Accenture Interactive in August of last year. At the time, the company announcement noted that Droga would be responsible for driving “creative excellence, customer experience and business innovation—which leverages the unique capabilities of Interactive, including the power of the depth and breadth of Accenture—to accelerate results that sustain business growth."
Since then Droga has been assembling a formidable army of seasoned industry leaders, including those who helped his own agency rise to prominence.
In early December of last year, his first big hire was that of another longtime lieutenant, Neil Heymann, who in February will start his role as Accenture Interactive’s first-ever global chief creative officer. Heymann was previously Droga5 global chief creative officer before departing the agency last February to co-found LeTruc, Publicis Groupe’s center of creative excellence based in New York. Less than a year later, it was announced he’d be rejoining David Droga. In December, the company also announced that Jatinder Singh, DDB’s data chief, would become Accenture Interactive's global head of data and analytics.
All of the appointments outside of Law’s are new to Accenture Interactive. The company’s chief strategy officer, Baiju Shah, previously oversaw design. Shah’s role will also be expanding and he will also serve as product innovation lead, overseeing that discipline around the world.
'Oversized creative ambitions'
News of Law’s departure in December left the industry speculating as to whether he had a new gig lined up, and if so, what type of company would draw a top Apple talent from his post.
"When David became the CEO of Accenture Interactive, it was a clear statement of the company’s oversized creative ambitions,” Law said in a statement. “It'll be a privilege to lead the discipline that I’ve always considered the foundation of the creative and tech industries—design. Creating great products, experiences and outcomes for clients starts with the craft and clarity of brilliant design. Design shapes how we interact with the world—and how we change it for the better.”
Thompson's new role at Accenture follows a shift in Droga5's leadership ranks. That included the promotion of Susie Nam, the agency’s former global chief operating officer. In November she became CEO of the Americas, taking over Thompson's responsibilities over the New York headquarters as well as oversight of its soon-to-be-opened Brazil outpost.
"I'm thrilled to take on a broader role within the leadership team of Accenture Interactive, especially at a time when businesses worldwide need a growth acceleration partner to help them drive their growth and ability to meet the ever-shifting needs of modern customers,” said Thompson in the statement.
The infusion of-big industry talent brings the promise of more creative energy and muscle to Accenture Interactive, which is part of the global consulting giant. Since 2013, the company has acquired more than three dozen agencies and marketing ventures across creative, digital, design, e-commerce and other disciplines, according to Ad Age’s latest Agency Report.
The remit of the new leaders includes oversight of agencies that are now part of the Accenture Interactive family. Those include Ireland-based Rothco; Karmarama in the U.K.; Australia's The Monkeys; SinnerSchrader and Kolle Rebbe in Germany; Hjaltelin Stahl in Denmark; Storm Digital in the Netherlands; King James in South Africa and others.
Based on 2020 revenue, Ad Age’s Datacenter ranked Accenture Interactive the world’s fourth-largest agency company, following WPP, Omnicom Group and Publicis Groupe. The company also ranked as the world’s largest digital agency network for the sixth consecutive year, according to Ad Age’s report.
source: https://adage.com/article/agency-news/apples-nick-law-and-droga5s-sarah-thompson-join-accenture-interactive/2396036
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