After parting ways with ECD Jason McCann last month, AQKA has picked Wayne Deakin to replace him as creative co-lead in its London office.
In the new role, Deakin–who describes himself as an “Aussie creative chap with idiotic big hair”–will work alongside ECD Masaya Nakade and head of experience design Rob McIntosh, with all three reporting to international ECD Duan Evans.
In the release, Deakin says he’s “always respected AKQA for brilliance and pioneering ideas,” adding, “I value the meritocratic culture and entrepreneurial mind-set of the AKQA team, which make me feel very much at home.”
Evans cites his “proven track record for building trust and confidence with his teams and clients” in explaining the hire. Deakin has spent more than 20 years in various creative roles at primarily European agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, Jung von Matt and the Engine Group.
His most interesting recent role may have been the six months he spent as temporary ECD at Doner in the U.K.; the MDC Partners agency hired him on contract basis to “further expand its International profile” in November 2014.
In addition to McCann, the recent raft of creative departures at AKQA also included ECD Sung Chang and, of course, global CCO Rei Inamoto.
When chairman Tom Bedecarre left for an oddly-timed sabbatical earlier this month, agency reps told AdAge that AKQA “has no immediate plans to replace Mr. Inamoto with a new worldwide creative chief” and that global leadership will not change.