Following Mark Green move to Droga5 NYC Accenture Song Names Bronwyn van der Merwe lead for Australia + NZ; Matt Michael appointed CEO of Droga5 Australia + NZ effective December 1

Accenture Song has today announced the appointment of the two new leaders who will succeed Mark Green, following his appointment as global CEO of Droga5, and relocation to New York. Bronwyn van der Merwe has been appointed Accenture Song lead for Australia and New Zealand, effective October 15, 2024, whilst Matt Michael will step up to the position of CEO Droga5 in Australia and New Zealand from December 1st, following The Monkeys integration into Droga5.

With over 20 years’ experience in the design and innovation space, van der Merwe is currently the service practice lead at Accenture Song ANZ, having rejoined the company in 2023 after a stint as VP of design at Culture Amp. Previously, she established design agency Fjord in Australia and went on to build and lead a team of 350, launching studios across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Japan. She then became the design lead for Accenture Interactive, now Song, in the Asia Pacific region. van der Merwe brings her passion for design and technology to help clients deliver engaging and intuitive customer experiences.

Says Green: “This is a great moment for two truly brilliant people, both of whom I have had the pleasure to work with for many years. Bronwyn was part of why I was keen to join forces with Accenture in the first place. Seeing what Bronwyn helped create with Fjord in Australia was a brilliant insight into the potential of creativity, consulting and technology. Bronwyn will lead Accenture Song into a new era and the team in Australia and New Zealand are in good hands.

In addition to his new role as CEO Droga5 in Australia and New Zealand, Michael will continue to lead the marketing practice at Accenture Song ANZ, heading up a team of practitioners delivering full-funnel marketing to Australia’s leading organisations. Michael has been with The Monkeys since 2011, serving as managing director for over 10 years. He has worked closely with a wide range of blue-chip Australian and global clients, including Telstra, Qantas, Amazon and NRMA Insurance. He’s been involved in some of The Monkeys’ most notable work such as Meat & Livestock’s campaigns, Qantas’ I Still Call Australia Home, the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and award-winning work across Telstra and Beam Suntory. During his tenure, The Monkeys has won numerous local and international awards including successive Cannes Grand Prix Lions in both 2023 and 2024.

Says Green: “It is great to see leaders grow and expand and it has been a privilege working with Matt Michael for over 14 years. Matt’s elevation to CEO of Droga5 in ANZ is an absolute no brainer and a great reward for someone who has been instrumental in the success of not only The Monkeys but Accenture Song as well. I cannot wait to see where Matt can take Droga5 in ANZ and I look forward to continuing our long partnership.”

Says David Droga, global CEO, Accenture Song: “How lucky to be going from strength to strength in ANZ leadership. Bronwyn’s integrated expertise and perspective, coupled with her deep commitment to both our people and our clients, makes her the ideal leader for this next chapter. At the same time, Matt who has a history of leadership and excellence is uniquely poised to lead Droga5, and will shape a local perspective that will undoubtedly have an impact on the agency and its clients globally.”

Says van der Merwe: “I feel incredibly honoured to have the opportunity to lead Accenture Song’s next chapter, alongside Matt and the rest of the Song leadership team in Australia and New Zealand. We have incredible talent and capabilities in Song, including our recent acquisitions of Fiftyfive5 and The Lumery. The launch of Droga5 in this market will further strengthen our ability to deliver purpose led growth for our clients.”

Says Michael: “The opportunity to work so closely with David and Mark to re-launch Droga5 in Australia and New Zealand is something I couldn’t back away from. I look forward to building on everything we have done over the past 18 years with The Monkeys to take the business to new heights, here and globally, under the Droga5 moniker. It is an exciting time for Song and I look forward to working with Bron to continue taking our full-service suite of services and bring the provocative thinking and creativity of our outstanding team to our clients.”

This announcement follows a strong year of growth and success for Accenture Song, which recently closed out FY24 with $19 billion in global revenue. Together, van der Merwe and Michael’s remit will be to lead Accenture Song’s teams across Australia and New Zealand into their next exciting tech-infused chapter, while upholding Song’s promise to clients to drive business growth and relevance.