REBORN appoints European AI expert Mike Bubenicek as Head of Creative Strategy & Innovation

Independent creative and media agency REBORN has appointed Mike Bubenicek as Head of Creative Strategy & Innovation, a move designed to tackle the growing “AI capability gap” in the Australian marketing sector.

As REBORN celebrates its 18th anniversary as a proudly independent Australian creative agency, the appointment injects fresh creative and technological perspectives into its leadership team. Bubenicek (pictured above left with REBORN Founder David Easton) co-founded and led Etnetera Motion, an independent 40-person creative studio in Prague, producing award-winning TVCs, brand strategy, and cutting-edge digital marketing for clients including Škoda, Volkswagen, Nivea, Pepsi, and MSD.

Over the past two years, Bubenicek, a Harvard-trained strategist, has become one of the most prolific practitioners in the European AI space. Having trained over 15,000 professionals across 80+ companies, including Škoda, Red Bull, and Jagermeister, he is ideally suited to the new role as REBORN’s unofficial ‘Chief Future Thinker’.

Bubenicek and REBORN have collaborated for over six years across projects spanning Europe and Australia. He now joins the Sydney agency with a remit to formalise a new capability at the intersection of brand strategy, AI, and creative production.

Outside the agency, Bubenicek co-founded design marketplace Mocup, scaling it to 100,000+ global customers including Facebook, Uber, and Microsoft, before its acquisition by Smartmockups and subsequent sale to Canva in 2021. He also hosts the Mike:ON podcast, exploring brand-building, creativity, and emerging marketing trends through conversations with industry leaders worldwide.

David Easton, founder of REBORN, said the hire represents an expansion of its Future Thinkers™ philosophy: “Mike has incredible experience in marketing at every level – from helping Pepsi connect with Gen Z on social to contributing to Škoda communications strategies, to supporting Nivea’s digital transformation – and he knows how to connect all of it to what AI actually makes possible.”

Says Bubenicek: “After six years of collaboration, joining REBORN now feels like the right move at exactly the right time. AI is changing the game, not by replacing creativity, but by removing the friction around it. What’s left is what always mattered: taste, instinct, and bold ideas. My focus is simple: to bring a global perspective, connect it with the Australian market, and help challenger brands use AI not just to move faster, but to move differently.”

REBORN’s current client roster includes Dove, Vaseline, Korean Tourism, ITP, Key Pharmaceuticals, and more. Bubenicek remains a Partner at Etnetera Group, maintaining a strategic bridge between European methodology and Australian creative culture.

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