Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, has announced the promotion of Christie Cooper and James Conner to Executive Creative Directors (ECDs) as part of its ongoing efforts to bolster regional creative leadership. The promotions come under the guidance of Co-Chief Creative Officers Barbara Humphries and Damon Stapleton, who are also overseeing the elevation of four additional creative leaders to further strengthen the agency’s creative department across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).
Cooper and Conner, who were instrumental in creating the Grand Clio-winning “Benee Bagels” campaign for ASB, bring nearly 20 years of creative experience working with New Zealand’s biggest brands, such as ASB, McDonald’s, Westpac, and Cadbury. Their work has not only garnered multiple awards but has also left a lasting impact on legislation, research, and culture. With their move into the ECD role, the pair are eager to continue pushing creative boundaries and shaping bold work across the ANZ region.
James Conner commented, “We are honored to take on the role of Executive Creative Directors and excited to collaborate with Damon, Barb, and CEO Matt Michael to build Droga5’s creative department across both New Zealand and Australia.”
Christie Cooper added, “We’re thrilled to be leading the creative efforts on a diverse portfolio of clients and feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a talented team.”
In addition to the promotions of Cooper and Conner, four associate creative directors—Lennie Galloway, Thomas Gledhill, Max Rapley, and Danny Pattison—have been promoted to Creative Directors (CDs). This shift further reinforces Droga5’s commitment to fostering talent and delivering top-tier creative work. Galloway and Gledhill have already delivered standout campaigns such as the SBS “We Go There” brand relaunch, while Pattison and Rapley bring years of experience from high-profile clients such as NRMA Insurance, Telstra, and UNICEF.
The newly appointed ECDs and CDs will work alongside Hugh Gurney and Joe Sibley, both promoted to ECDs in December 2024, to continue advancing Droga5’s creative vision for the ANZ region.
Barbara Humphries, Co-Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 ANZ, said, “These promotions celebrate the incredible talent we have at Droga5 ANZ, and I’m confident that they’ll bring even more firepower to our clients across Australia and New Zealand.”
Damon Stapleton, Co-Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 ANZ, concluded, “Reshaping the senior creative team enables us to put our borderless creative model into action. With this exceptional team in place, we are ready to create groundbreaking work for ambitious brands across the Tasman.”
