Former Ogilvy NZ Group MD Steve Kane joins Droga5 ANZ as Principal Director in New Zealand

Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, has today announced the appointment of Steve Kane as Principal Director of the agency’s New Zealand office, bringing three decades of diverse and award-winning experience to one of the world’s most revered creative networks.

Kane joins Droga5 ANZ after a two-year stint at Ogilvy Network NZ, where he was Group Managing Director. Growing up in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Kane began his career in television production and PR, which took him to London, where he spent five successful years in corporate public relations. Returning to New Zealand, he joined Publicis Drum PR and later moved to DDB Aotearoa’s Mango PR, leading the Air New Zealand account. His creative passion saw him transition into the role of Experiential Creative Director at DDB, where he went on to lead creative departments at top-tier agencies across Auckland.

In 2014, Kane was appointed Managing Director at Y&R NZ (now VML), where under his leadership the agency was named Campaign Brief Agency of the Year in 2015. That same year, Y&R NZ’s iconic Burger King ‘McWhopper’ campaigns became one of the most awarded campaigns in the world, winning three Grand Prix at Cannes.

Following his time at Y&R NZ, Kane served as Managing Director and partner at independent Auckland agency True, before taking the role of Group Managing Director at Ogilvy Network NZ, including Designworks, over the past two years.

Kane is now set to bring his extensive leadership and creative expertise to Droga5 ANZ. His appointment marks a bold step in Droga5 ANZ’s journey in New Zealand to deliver transformative, culture-shaping work rooted in creativity, strategy, and impact.

Says Kane: “In addition to being one of the greatest agency brands of the modern age, the chance to partner with CEO Storm Day and Droga5 ANZ Co-CCO Damon Stapleton was just too ridiculous to pass up. The creative bench they’ve assembled is formidable; their client list is blue chip, and the quality of the work is clearly paramount.

“It’s a fascinating time in the New Zealand marketing landscape as we undergo significant transformation. I’m dead excited to join the team at Droga5 ANZ and Accenture Song in New Zealand to make work that contributes to the culture by adding value to people’s lives, not adding to the noise.”

Says Storm Day, CEO of Droga5 Aotearoa and New Zealand Lead of Accenture Song: “We’re beyond thrilled to welcome Steve to the Droga5 whānau. Steve shares our belief that outsized ambition is the key to unlocking outsized business impact. Like us, he understands the importance of building influential brands and delivering customer-first capability through the full breadth of Accenture Song’s offerings.

“A purely advertising-led view of the world no longer cuts it – and Steve’s wonderfully diverse background makes him the perfect person to lead our D5 NZ team. The team is very eager to explore the art of the pocket square, a hallmark of Steve’s incredible style.”

Pictured (L-R): Droga5 ANZ CEO Matt Michael, Principal Director Steve Kane and Droga5 Aotearoa CEO Storm Day

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