Dentsu Creative Australia has appointed internationally awarded creative leader Stu Turner as chief creative officer, reinforcing its commitment to creative excellence.
Turner brings more than two decades of experience, having held senior creative leadership roles at VML, The Royals, DDB and Havas.
His work has been recognised at the industry’s most prestigious international award shows, including Cannes Lions Grand Prix, D&AD Yellow and Black Pencils, Spikes Asia Grand Prix, and multiple Effies including the Grand Effie.
His portfolio includes globally recognised campaigns such as The Palau Pledge, The Riderless Bike, KitKat Break Chair, alongside award-winning work for IKEA, RACQ and most recently SP Lager Icon of Change, which received Best in Show at BADC.
Over the past 12 months, Turner has partnered with Google as the co-creator and creative lead of the global Google Ad Labs program, designed to empower in-house teams to harness AI and emerging technologies to drive creative excellence and commercial growth.
He will lead the agency’s national creative product, working across its integrated Creative, Experience and Earned practices and collaborating with Dentsu’s broader media, data, technology and gaming capabilities.
Turner said the opportunity was driven by the ambition of the people and the creative possibilities of Dentsu’s connected capabilities.
“Everyone I met at Dentsu Creative was focused on the same thing: challenging the status quo with innovative thinking. Not just talking about great ideas, but having the ambition and hunger to make them happen.
“There’s a fantastic team, great clients and some seriously exciting briefs across Creative, Experience and Earned. And with media, technology, data and gaming all part of Dentsu, there are very few barriers to where a great idea can go. ”
David Halter, chief practice officer, Dentsu Creative Australia, said the appointment reflects the agency’s continued investment in its people and creative product.
“We’re fortunate to have a talented team, great clients and a strong creative foundation to build on. Our belief is simple: you can’t grow with the status quo. Stu shares that same belief. He’s an exceptional creative thinker, but just as importantly, someone who cares deeply about people, the work and making an impact for clients,” Halter said.
“I also loved his view that creativity shouldn’t be limited to a department or discipline. The best ideas can come from anywhere, and that’s the kind of creative culture we’re continuing to build.
Yasuharu Sasaki, global chief creative officer, Dentsu: “Stu’s work demonstrates the power of ideas to move people and change behaviour. He combines that creative instinct with a curiosity about how technology can help us do things we haven’t done before. I’m delighted to welcome him to our global creative community and excited to see what he and our Australian team create together.”
