Independent brand experience agency Akcelo has announced the appointment of Jayde Smith to the newly created role of Group Director of Technology, effective immediately. The strategic move underscores Akcelo’s continued investment in building a world-class technology and innovation offering.
Jayde joins Akcelo following a nine-year tenure at DDB Group Australia, where he served most recently as General Manager of Digital and Technology. He began his journey at DDB as Head of Digital Integration for the McDonald’s account and went on to lead award-winning technology and innovation work for major clients including Volkswagen, Westpac, and Coles.
In his new role, Jayde will work alongside Richard Scanlon, Head of Technology at Akcelo, who transitions into a more hands-on engineering and architectural leadership role. Together, they will expand the agency’s technical capabilities, spanning native mobile engineering, commerce experience, large-scale martech and CMS implementations, and bespoke product and service development.
Aden Hepburn, CEO and Co-Founder of Akcelo, said:
“Jayde is known for his collaborative approach and passion for driving incredible solutions, he brings a wealth of experience in agency–client partnerships, product development and platform delivery, all of which will be key to advancing Akcelo’s broader technology offering to our wonderful client partners,”
Speaking on his new role, Jayde Smith commented:
“It was time for a new chapter — one where I could continue to grow, challenge myself, and contribute to the future of creative technology in a new way.
What makes this next step even more exciting is that it doesn’t feel entirely new. I’ve known Aden Hepburn and Miles Scott [COO] for over nine years, and together with a number of people at Akcelo, we’ve collaborated as agency partners throughout that time on one of Australia’s most iconic brands — McDonald’s. I couldn’t be more excited to reunite with this powerhouse team in a new capacity.
In my new role, I’ll be championing creative technology and driving our innovation offering forward to deliver cutting-edge experiences across an incredible portfolio of brands.”
Jayde will play a key role in advancing Akcelo’s agentic AI capabilities, supporting the agency’s mission to deliver both bespoke and enterprise-level technology solutions that enhance brand experiences.
“The opportunity to lead a growing innovation practice, drive creative technology forward, and work alongside people I’ve admired and collaborated with for nearly a decade made this move incredibly compelling,” Jayde added.
“At a time when technology, creativity and brand experience are intersecting in powerful new ways, I’m excited to help shape what the future of marketing looks like — and to do it with a team that’s not only ambitious, but also deeply passionate about delivering remarkable work.”
