Sarah McGregor joins AKQA as ECD, Australia; David Clarke named APAC Experience Design lead

AKQA Australia has announced the appointment of Sarah McGregor as Executive Creative Director, reinforcing the agency’s creative leadership in the region. In addition, David Clarke has been promoted to Executive Experience Design Director, APAC, elevating AKQA’s regional design capabilities across Asia Pacific, effective immediately.

With over two decades of experience in Melbourne and London, McGregor has held senior creative roles at agencies including Dentsu Creative, Leo Burnett, cummins&partners, Karmarama, Y&R, and Grey London. Throughout her career, she has led award-winning campaigns for iconic brands such as Honda, Bonds, Nintendo, 7-Eleven, Virgin, Kmart, L’Oréal, The Iconic, Tourism Western Australia, Transplant Australia, and Marriage Equality.

An advocate for diversity and mentorship, McGregor is a founding member of The Aunties, a mentoring and events initiative supporting women in the creative industries. Her work has received global recognition, winning accolades at Cannes Lions, D&AD, The Clios, Adfest, Spikes, The Webbys, The Effies, The One Show, New York Festivals, London International Awards, and more. She is also a former recipient of Creative of the Year at the B&T Women in Media Awards.

Based in Melbourne, McGregor will work closely with AKQA Australia’s senior leadership team, including Executive Creative Director Tara McKenty, Chief Strategy Officer Iona Macgregor, Executive Strategy Director Nicole Armstrong, General Manager Sydney Justine Leong and Managing Director Jeremy Smart, to continue driving creative innovation and growth in the region.

Commenting on her new role Sarah McGregor says: “AKQA has long been known for work that solves hard problems in inventive ways, courageously fusing creativity, technology, and humanity to create powerful work. I’m excited to join such a forward-thinking team and collaborate with our clients to create experiences that are not only innovative but truly meaningful.”

In his new regional role, David Clarke will lead AKQA’s Experience Design offering across Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, and will report to AKQA APAC CEO Brian Vella. Over the course of his career, Clarke has worked at AKQA in London, New York and Australia. This latest move is set to strengthen the agency’s regional design leadership, ensures continuity, and positions AKQA to drive greater impact across the board.

Says Clarke: “I owe much to my time at AKQA over the span of 20 years. London taught me the craft, New York shaped me as a leader, and now this role offers an incredible opportunity to amplify a region rich with creative potential. I’m energised by what’s ahead and honoured to be a part of such an ambitious network of talented people.”

Says Jeremy Smart, Managing Director of AKQA Australia: “Sarah brings a wonderful combination of creative excellence, leadership, and a deep understanding of purposeful storytelling. Her passion for innovation and inclusion reflects AKQA’s values and vision for the future. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the team and look forward to the energy and ideas she’ll bring to our clients and culture.

“It’s also great to see a strong leader like David, who has headed up our experience design team here in Australia, moving into a broader remit role, giving him the opportunity to bring his innovative and exceptional thinking to our wider APAC teams and clients.”

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