Former R/GA Sydney ECD Gavin McLeod takes executive CD role at AKQA San Francisco

December 16 2016, 4:06 am | BY Lynchy | 17 Comments

Gavin_McL_PR-WEB.jpgCB can reveal that Gavin McLeod, who departed the ECD role at R/GA Sydney earlier this month, has been lured to the plum executive creative director gig at AKQA’s San Francisco office.

 

McLeod will lead the creative discipline within the San Francisco office and joins the Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to Simon Jefferson, managing director of AKQA’s San Francisco office.

 

With over 20 years of experience in fostering creative and collaborative cultures, McLeod joins AKQA after many successful years in Sydney. He has held multiple creative positions, where he has developed and implemented award-winning work recognized over the years by Cannes Lions, Clios, D&AD, Effies, One Show, and Spikes Asia.

Says Jefferson: “Gavin is passionate, entrepreneurial, highly curious and focused on creating what’s next. He’s collaborative and has built strong teams with an incredible work ethic and a proven track-record of creating award-winning work. Gavin joins us at a time when we are partnering with some of the world’s best companies to help define their vision and architect the future-state of their customer experience.”

 

Says McLeod: “I’ve admired the work that AKQA has been doing for many years. As a company, they’ve always struck me as being fearless in pushing the boundaries. I look forward to helping the San Francisco team push these boundaries even further.”

McLeod joined R/GA in January 2013 from TBWA Sydney where he held the role of ECD since March 2011.

Prior to TBWA Sydney, he had four years as creative director of M&C Saatchi/Mark, Sydney where it was consistently the most awarded direct agency in the country, boasting several “agency of the year” accolades as well as being the second most awarded in the world in 2006 and the third most awarded in the world in both 2007 and 2008, according to the WON report.

Apart from being awarded at every major award show, McLeod has chaired juries at AWARD, AdFest and ADMA as well as judging at D&AD, The Caples and Cannes.