April 2025 – Droga5, a leading global creative agency under Accenture Song, has announced a series of strategic leadership appointments aimed at strengthening its creative excellence and global influence.
Barbara Humphries, Executive Creative Director at Droga5 ANZ, and Damon Stapleton, Chief Creative Officer of Droga5 Aotearoa, will assume new roles as Co-Chief Creative Officers of Droga5 Australia & New Zealand. The duo will work alongside Matt Michael, CEO of Droga5 ANZ, to drive the agency’s creative vision and innovation across the region.
Additionally, Tara Ford, Chief Creative Officer of Droga5 Australia, has been appointed Chief Creative Officer of Droga5 London. Based in London, Ford will lead the agency’s creative direction, working closely with CEO Bill Scott and Chief Strategy Officer Will Hodge.
These leadership changes come as part of a broader creative restructuring to enhance Droga5’s global network, spearheaded by Mark Green, Global CEO of Droga5. The realignment positions the agency for its next phase of growth and reinforces its commitment to borderless creativity.
Mark Green, Global CEO, Droga5, commented:
“It is always great to see people you have worked with closely for many years take on new challenges. With Tara moving to London, we didn’t hesitate to elevate Barb and Damon, and it felt like the perfect opportunity for everyone to advance their careers and bolster the creative pedigree of Droga5 globally.”
Matt Michael, CEO, Droga5 ANZ, added:
“I’m excited for Tara and looking forward to seeing her make the incredible kind of impact she has made in Australia in another part of our global network. Her move to head up London further underscores the incredible regional and global opportunities available to our creative talent. Having worked closely with Barb and Damon over the years, I’m thrilled to see these two heavyweights unite, strengthening our creative firepower for clients across the region. This move reinforces our commitment to borderless creativity, driving transformative impact for our client’s businesses, brands, and reputations in a way that continues to lead the world. With the creative calibre of Damon and Barb leading the charge, the next phase of Droga5 ANZ is set to be truly exciting.”
Under Tara Ford’s leadership, Droga5 ANZ (formerly The Monkeys) has garnered prestigious accolades, including being named Campaign Brief’s 2023 Australian Agency of the Year. The agency has achieved global recognition at Cannes Lions, D&AD, and One Show, with Ford earning top creative honors, including AWARD’s Creative Leader of the Year 2023/24 and Campaign Asia’s Creative Leader of the Year 2023.
Barbara Humphries, recognized as #1 ECD in APAC by One Show, has been instrumental in driving award-winning campaigns for major brands, including Qantas, UN Women, Nike, and NRMA Insurance. Meanwhile, Damon Stapleton, a highly decorated creative leader, has led impactful campaigns for ASB Bank, No Ugly, Meridian Energy, and Adidas, accumulating over 500 international awards, including 54 D&AD Pencils, 70 Cannes Lions, and 11 One Show Gold Pencils.
Damon Stapleton, Co-CCO, Droga5 ANZ, stated:
“Droga5 has always been a bastion of world-class creativity, and it makes me proud to be able to work with all the great and talented people of Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne to add to Droga5’s story. Having the larger playing field of Australia and New Zealand with so many more Lego pieces to push creativity forward is always going to be fun. On top of that, I get to partner with somebody as massively talented as Barb which makes that journey even more special. I look forward to great ideas and making great stuff.”
Barbara Humphries, Co-CCO, Droga5 ANZ, added:
“I’m really proud of the recent momentum as part of The Monkeys, Song and now Droga5, and learning from a creative force like Tara over the past few years has been invaluable. Now, with the opportunity to bring together more of our talented people across three offices, partnering with the brilliant Damon Stapleton and long-time collaborator Matt, I’m super excited about the opportunities ahead of us.”
Says Ford:
“I’ve had an amazing time at The Monkeys, now Droga5 ANZ, working with some exceptional talent but the opportunity to take on my next big challenge of Droga5 London was just too alluring. Droga5 ANZ is in great hands with Barb and Damon at the helm and I have no doubt the agency will flourish under their leadership.”
Droga5 has embarked on a transformative journey, further expanding its global footprint. 2024 saw the integration of Brazilian agency SOKO and the rebranding of The Monkeys into Droga5 ANZ. The agency’s leadership team was also strengthened with the appointments of Mark Green as Global CEO, Pelle Sjoenell as Worldwide CCO, and Emma Montgomery as Global CSO.
With over 1,000 professionals across offices in New York, London, Dublin, São Paulo, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland, Droga5 continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.
Pelle Sjoenell, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, Droga5, concluded:
“We’re fortunate to have such extraordinary talent within the Droga5 global family. It’s an embarrassment of riches to have world-class creative leaders like Tara, Barbara and Damon. As we welcome Tara into a new chapter in London and unite Barbara and Damon’s creative firepower for ANZ, it allows us to work without borders — harnessing our people, capabilities, and influence to make a real impact for our clients and move us closer to our ambition of being the most influential creative company.”
As 2025 unfolds, Droga5 is poised for a new era of creative excellence, innovation, and global expansion.
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