Marketing East Asia

Publicis Groupe Hong Kong appoints Rhys Turner as Head of Creative Technology

by Aliza Carmona

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April 28, 2026

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Hong Kong – Publicis Groupe Hong Kong has appointed Rhys Turner as its inaugural Head of Creative Technology, effective immediately, as the agency strengthens its focus on AI-driven innovation and integrated creative capabilities.

Originally from Australia, Turner brings two decades of experience at the intersection of emerging technologies and creative practice, with a focus on bridging art and engineering. His background spans agency, client and production environments, with work delivered across markets including Saudi Arabia, Istanbul and Shanghai.

He began his career in electronic media education before moving into interactive and digital advertising, with experience in areas such as video game and app development, UX, coding and experiential design. In 2023, he joined Chanel in Hong Kong as Innovation Technologist APAC, following his stint at Sydney-based design and technology company T&DA.

In his new role, Turner will work closely with creative teams to develop client work while advancing the use of AI and scaling innovation across the Groupe.

He will report to Christopher Lee, Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong, and Tom Kao, Chief Executive Officer at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong.

“Rhys is here to supercharge our fluency in data, tech, AI and more. We’re not just looking to Rhys to create innovative commercial solutions for our clients but to apply his love for art and code as well as his curiosity to always make things smarter across all disciplines at Publicis Groupe in Hong Kong,” Christopher commented.

Tom added, “We look forward to the impact that Rhys will bring, pushing cutting-edge tech and AI-led creativity and amplifying the chemistry between creative, media, data, tech, and production. Creative tech is becoming more than just a discipline that drives creative campaigns – it’s also becoming the glue that connects people from various backgrounds to help shape talent in this age of AI, with the ambition to keep raising the bar.”

Turner also becomes part of Publicis Groupe APAC’s Creative Tech Collective, a regional network comprising more than 20 creative technologists and around 200 innovation specialists, led by Laurent Thevenet, Head of Creative Technology, APAC.

Speaking about his role, Rhys said, “The fun part of being a creative technologist is constantly experimenting with tools and technologies and then acting as an informant to agencies, suggesting fresh approaches for everything from strategy to ideation and execution. Publicis Groupe Hong Kong is enjoying huge momentum, and I’m excited to be part of its evolution.”