Dentsu appoints Emily Cook as Managing Director of Queensland

Dentsu has promoted senior leader Emily Cook to Managing Director of its Queensland operations.

Cook’s promotion follows Chris Ernst’s move into the Chief Practice Officer role earlier this year.

Cook steps into the role after serving as General Manager of dentsu Queensland, where she has been instrumental in the agency’s growth and the simplification of its offering under the dentsu banner in the state.

She first joined the Queensland business in 2021 as Head of Client Partnerships for Carat, before being promoted to General Manager in 2023.

During her tenure, Cook has played a key role in driving the agency’s performance and culture, contributing to consecutive years of double-digit growth and helping the organisation earn recognition as an AFR Best Place to Work. Her contributions have also seen the Queensland team named a finalist in Agency of the Year awards and recognised as a leading market within the APAC region for internal engagement.

In 2024, Cook’s leadership was also externally recognised in the ‘Next of the Best Awards’ where she won the People and Culture category. She was also named a finalist in the Campaign Asia Women Leading Change Awards in 2025.

Cook will complete her parental leave and return into the role on Tuesday 17 March.

Says Ernst: “The past five years of partnership with Em, building the agency that is dentsu Queensland, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. There is no one better placed to lead our Queensland business into its next chapter.

“Em brings unparallelled authenticity and an unwavering focus on what’s best for our people and our partners. The impact she’s had on both, and the broader industry is a testament to who she is as a person and a leader, and I’m excited to see her continue to grow and lead in this role.”

Says Cook: “I returned to Brisbane five years ago and when I met Chris Ernst I knew it would be the start of something special. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together and the exceptional talent we have across our agency, clients and media partners in Queensland.

“Returning from parental leave and stepping into the role of Managing Director is wonderfully exciting, and I look forward to continuing to champion our client and media partnerships across the state working closely with Chris Ernst and Rob Harvey in this exciting new chapter for dentsu.”

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