Australia – Global advertising agency and public relations company Publicis Groupe has announced new senior leadership elevations. The appointees are Jason Williams, the new head of creative excellence at Publicis Groupe for APAC & MEA, and Andy Fergusson, the new national executive creative director at Leo Burnett Australia.
This shift recognises Williams’ contribution to Leo Burnett Australia over the past 15 years, where he is currently chief creative officer. In his new role, Williams will be reporting to Natalie Lam, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe for APAC & MEA. He will be focusing on elevating the creative output of the company’s clients, and will continue to collaborate with Publicis Groupe Australia, bolstering the creative firepower of each market in APAC & MEA by connecting creatives, technology, media, and data experts to global brands and opportunities.
Together with a regional team led by Lam, Williams will also contribute to initiatives that connect, inspire, and strengthen the creative community, from monthly creative sessions to mentoring programmes and inspiration sessions.
Commenting on his elevation, Williams said, “When Natalie first mentioned the possibility of moving into a role that champions creative bravery and business changing ideas across 60+ agency brands, it seemed too good to be true. The chance to unite the Groupe’s most ambitious clients with a squad of creatives, future-thinkers and makers, while still staying connected to the Leo Burnett family – it’s a dream role for me.”
Lam also commented, “Jason is a creative heavyweight in Australia and the global Leo Burnett network, now we are lucky to share his creative firepower with all of Publicis Groupe APAC & MEA and with many more markets, clients and teams. I’m thrilled to have the chance to partner with him to deliver even stronger business impact and creative excellence, as well as shape the overall creative vision for Publicis Groupe to be the best modern creative powerhouse with many exciting initiatives for a connected community of 4,000+ creatives,” says Lam.
Meanwhile, Fergusson will now be responsible for the creative product across Sydney and Melbourne. He will now be working closely with Emma Montgomery, CEO at Leo Burnett Australia, and Catherine King, chief strategy officer at Leo Burnett Australia to lead the agency’s growth.
Fegusson first joined Leo Burnett Sydney in 2020 and has been instrumental in the agency’s new business and creative wins, including the launch of ‘Feel New’ for Destination NSW and the recent Grand Prix-winning Suncorp campaign, ‘One House to Save Many’. Prior to joining Leo Burnett Sydney, he has led accounts across the US, Asia, and Australia during a 10-year stint at Droga5.
On his elevation, Fergusson commented, “I’m beyond excited about the opportunity to help shape the future of Leo Burnett in Australia, alongside Emma and Cath. We have such great creative momentum right now across both offices. And with a bunch of truly ambitious clients, and a really strong talent pool, I think we are well placed to continue that momentum.”
He added, “Jason leaves us with a strong culture of creative consistency, and I look forward to building on that. We wish him nothing but the best as he steps up to bigger and better things in the Groupe.”
Meanwhile, Montgomery noted, “Jason has been foundational to the creative success of Leo Burnett in Australia and we are thrilled to see this success recognised in this new role. We are also delighted to have Andy expand his creative leadership to take on the National ECD role. Andy’s progressive thinking and generous style, partnered with our borderless creative team, set the scene for an exciting next chapter.”
