After two year stint Leo Burnett Australia CEO Emma Montgomery set to join DDB Chicago as CEO

After two years in the role Leo Burnett Australia CEO Emma Montgomery is set to join DDB Chicago as CEO. Montgomery departs the agency at the end of the month.

Montgomery will partner with CCO Rodrigo Jatene and report into global president and chief operating officer Alex Lubar, in another key move for the DDB network in a series of leadership hires to further bolster DDB’s offering in North America.

Montgomery has more than 20 years in the marketing and communications industry in leadership roles across Australia, in the US and globally, helping many of the world’s largest brands navigate change in ways that create commercial opportunity. She has also guided many of the world’s largest agencies to evolve to meet the needs of today’s shifting marketing landscape.

Montgomery first joined Leo Burnett Australia in 2014 as head of connect and after a successful year was promoted to head of connect strategy. In 2016 Montgomery relocated to Chicago to join Initiative. Shortly after Montgomery joined Leo Burnett Chicago as SVP, strategy director and was then promoted to president and chief strategy officer. in 2020 Mongomery joined TBWA\Worldwide based in Los Angeles as global co-chief strategy officer. She returned to Leo Burnett Australia as CEO in 2021.

Says Montgomery: “I am incredibly delighted to be joining Alex, Rodrigo and the DDB Chicago team at such a pivotal time for creativity and bold thinking. It’s both an honor and thrill to be contributing to the next chapter of this iconic agency’s history.”

Montgomery brings a unique multidisciplinary background, having worked across media, creative and TV programming, leading strategy, analytics, experience design and content development. She has deep experience partnering with clients as diverse as Kellogg’s, Kraft, Aldi, Bank of America, Diageo and Molson Coors to collide an in-depth knowledge of shifting behavior with the expansive power of creativity to imagine new paths for their brands.  Her work has been recognized at Cannes, D&AD, One Show and Clios.

In 2022, Montgomery earned the number 18 spot on the B&T Women in Media Power List, and has previously been named by Ad Age as one of the top Women to Watch the same year Leo Burnett Chicago was named an Agency to Watch under her leadership.

Says Lubar: “We are super fortunate to add another dynamic leader to our DDB Chicago team. Emma brings a unique depth of experience, authenticity, strategic acumen, and a strong passion for creativity, clients, and culture that is beyond inspiring. She’s a proven leader who creates impact, strengthens cultures, and fuels client growth. It will be great to have her back in the Chicago market, this time in our camp.”

DDB Chicago is the highest performing agency creatively in North America for the DDB Worldwide network. As a result of recent award shows, DDB Chicago has garnered 80+ awards in 2023 alone, across 5 campaigns – 10 pencils at D&AD, including two Yellow Pencils; 11 pencils at One Show, including the Best in Design; 17 cubes at Art Directors’ Club, including Best in Advertising, Best in Typography, and the Designism Cube; The Grandy and 5 golds at the Andy’s; and 20 statuettes at the Clios, including 10 Golds.

Says Jatene: “Having a partner like Emma will make us that much more fierce. She’s a genuine champion of creativity and culture and we are lucky to have her unique energy and talent. We have achieved great success and creative accolades this year, and with Emma joining to further fuel all we’ve accomplished, we will be an unstoppable force.”

Notably, Montgomery joins DDB Chicago during a period of growth with new business wins earlier this year such as Orkin Pest Control, Reynold’s Consumer Products (Hefty and Reynold’s Wrap), Bimbo Bakery (ABO and Thomas’) and Oma Fertility Clinic.

Says Michael Rebelo, CEO, Publicis Groupe ANZ: “We have been fortunate to have Emma lead Leo Burnett in Australia, working closely with the leadership team to ensure the agency’s continued growth and success. Over the past couple of years, Leos has welcomed a number of new clients while also being recognised with award-winning campaigns.

“Emma leaves behind a strengthened leadership line-up with Andy Ferguson as national ECD and Catherine King as chief strategy officer. Meanwhile, Melbourne GM Kate Silver and Sydney GM James Walker-Smith continue to play a key role in the agency’s long-term success, both having been with us for almost eight years.

“I know Emma is very excited to move back to the US, and on behalf of Publicis Groupe we wish her all the best in her new role.”

Says Montgomery: “It’s been an honour to have been part of this talented Leo Burnett team, and to work with some of Australia’s best clients, bringing our human-centred creativity to their toughest business challenges. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together and look forward to seeing the team’s continued success into the future.”