Senior Account Manager
About the job
- Proven experience managing large-scale accounts in a similar creative environment.
- A rich portfolio of client relationships across multiple sectors, with proven experience of successfully nurturing and growing client relationships.
- The ability to work seamlessly with others, leading by example and contributing hands-on where needed.
- Demonstrable experience developing and motivating teams and supporting people to reach their potential.
- The ability to balance the big picture with detail, think ahead, and prioritize the workload for yourself and the team.
- Strong problem-solving ability with diplomacy and consideration for the best outcomes for both client and agency.
- Confidence presenting work alongside team members.
- The ability to identify and manage additional revenue opportunities.
- The ability to build trust within teams and inspire others.
- Manage multiple Studio projects totaling approximately £1–£2.5 million per annum, including allocation, planning, forecasting, proactive management, and problem-solving.
- Grow accounts beyond their initial scope by proactively making recommendations to the Account Director or client.
- Work alongside the Leadership and New Business team as the key client contact, owning client relationships throughout projects and ongoing opportunities and escalating issues to the Account Director.
- Write proposals for larger-scale projects, seeking guidance from the Account Director and New Business team where required.
- Develop senior client relationships from both personal and Studio perspectives.
- Manage day-to-day and longer-term career growth plans for Account Managers, provide ongoing developmental feedback and support, and run growth conversations.
- Act as the client escalation point for larger projects involving junior Account Management team members and determine when further escalation is required.
- Forecast Studio workflow for the upcoming quarter and flag significant changes to the Account Director and resource manager.
- Bridge the Client Services and Design teams by nurturing a collaborative relationship.
- Organize the team, balance project needs, and inspire individuals to produce their best work.
- Provide solutions on people requirements for other projects in support of Account Management team members.
- Advise Account Managers on best-practice ways of working to meet internal and external expectations.
- Contribute to and potentially lead the implementation of improved team processes and ways of working.
- Support Account Directors and Senior Account Directors in implementing new business processes.
- Support Junior Account Managers in writing proposals, approve proposals, and ensure they are accurate and aligned with Studio requirements.
- Support Account Directors and cover some of their responsibilities during absences when needed.
- Lead, manage, and inspire a team of Account Managers while ensuring excellent client service.
- Ensure team members meet expectations, working with the Account Director and Human Resources to improve performance where appropriate.
- Help create a positive, collaborative, and supportive environment focused on continual learning.
About the company
AKQA is a digital design and communications agency that delivers digital strategy, experience and product design, e-commerce, and technology implementation for global brands. Its approach combines creativity, technology, and data to build digital products and immersive campaigns. The company works through integrated teams that move from strategy to design to development and activation, using technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality to create engaging experiences. AKQA differentiates itself by operating as an autonomous subsidiary within WPP while leveraging scale across 50 countries and about 6,000 employees, enabling end-to-end services and a track record of large-brand work (e.g., Microsoft, Nike, Google, Unilever) and industry recognition. Its goal is to help brands transform digitally and achieve measurable business results through compelling, user-centered digital experiences.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Acquired
Total Funding
$540M
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
Founded
2007
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- HubSpot appointed AKQA in March 2026, expanding the agency's enterprise growth pipeline.
- AKQA launched an AI-crafted Lexus campaign in March 2026, proving commercial AI execution.
- AKQA won 22 Cannes Lions in 2026, including a Grand Prix, signaling creative momentum.
What critics are saying
- WPP's 2026 consolidation pushes AKQA deeper into group-wide cost-cutting and restructuring.
- Leadership churn persists after Ajaz Ahmed's 2024 exit and 2025 Americas departures.
- Grey's 2025 separation and WPP integration threaten AKQA's standalone identity by 2027.
What makes AKQA unique
- AKQA embeds AI across creative, strategy, and technology, now with a unified global structure.
- HubSpot hired AKQA in March 2026 for brand, product, and customer-experience integration.
- AKQA still wins prestige work for Lexus, Microsoft, Nike, and global awards.
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Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -7%1 year growth
↓ -7%2 year growth
↓ -7%AKQA appoints Rosie Milton-Schönemann as global director of marketing and communications. AKQA has appointed Rosie Milton-Schönemann as its global director of marketing and communications. This newly created role reflects the agency's ambition to further strengthen its brand, reputation and market positioning in its next chapter under AKQA CEO and WPP group chief strategy officer, Baiju Shah. In this role, Rosie will lead AKQA's global marketing and communications strategy, drawing from a career working with companies operating at the intersection of creativity and technology. Rosie will partner with leaders across AKQA's worldwide business to strengthen its reputation, sharpen its narrative and help define how the agency's role as the frontier agency is understood by clients, talent and the wider industry. Rosie joins from Accenture Song, where she spent nearly a decade helping shape the company's global reputation during a period of significant growth and several leadership and transformation cycles. Most recently, she led global corporate communications, overseeing brand reputation, executive communications and integrated external engagement as part of the marketing and communications leadership team. Commenting on her appointment, Rosie said: "I firmly believe that reputation is one of the most powerful drivers of growth. The opportunity to help shape how AKQA is understood by clients, talent and the wider industry at such an important moment for the business is incredibly exciting. AKQA has long been recognised for the quality of its ideas and the calibre of its people. I'm looking forward to working with Baiju, our global leadership team and colleagues across the WPP network to build on that legacy and ensure the agency's reputation is as distinctive as the work it creates." Rosie joins AKQA at a time of considerable momentum, following recent leadership appointments, new client partnerships and continued recognition for creative and technological innovation. The appointment reflects AKQA's commitment to strengthening its market presence as it continues to imagine and create what matters next for clients and communities around the world.
AKQA Australia appoints Jonathan Hales & Martin Tozzi-Condivi Executive Client partners. Hales will focus on public sector growth, while Tozzi-Condivi takes on a deeper financial services remit. AKQA Australia has appointed Jonathan Hales as Executive Client Partner and promoted Martin Tozzi-Condivi to the same role, with both taking on senior client leadership responsibilities across the Australian business. Hales joins the Australian business after four years leading AKQA's Wellington studio in New Zealand in a similar client leadership role, while Tozzi-Condivi moves into the position after eight years with AKQA. Both report to Managing Director Justine Leong. Hales will focus on supporting the agency's portfolio of client brands, driving new business growth and expanding its established public sector practice. Tozzi-Condivi will lead multidisciplinary teams across digital transformation, brand strategy and customer experience optimization, with a deeper focus on financial services and member-focused organizations. Hales brings more than 40 years of experience across advertising, brand, design and public sector transformation. His work has included teams behind the New Zealand passport and identity program, the global reinvention of the New Zealand wine industry, and a public information program supporting New Zealand's largest public transport transformation. Tozzi-Condivi has spent eight years with AKQA, with a focus on the financial services sector, long-term client relationships and the customer lifecycle. In his expanded role, he will continue to bring together multidisciplinary teams for clients. "Jonathan and Martin bring complementary strengths to our client service leadership at an important time for AKQA Australia," said Justine Leong, Managing Director, AKQA Australia. "Their appointments reflect our continued investment in senior client leadership and our ambition to deepen trusted partnerships across sectors. Jonathan's successful track record in New Zealand will help us grow our public sector practice, while Martin's expanded remit strengthens our focus on financial services and member-focused organisations. Together, they will help our teams create meaningful impact and commercial value for clients across Australia." "I'm excited by the opportunity to continue my AKQA journey while relocating to Australia," said Jonathan Hales. "Remaining part of AKQA is important to me, and I look forward to supporting our Australian clients, growing the public sector practice, and sharing my experience and knowledge with the leadership team." "I'm thrilled to take on the Executive Client Partner role at such an exciting time for AKQA," said Martin Tozzi-Condivi. "We have an extraordinary team, and I'm looking forward to deepening my focus on the financial services sector - particularly partnering with member-focused organisations - to deliver real-world impact, scale our capabilities, and drive ongoing strategic value and commercial success for our clients."
AKQA names Jonathan Hales & Martin Tozzi-Condivi Executive Client partners. Published on: 1st September 2026 at 10:46 AM AKQA Australia has appointed of Jonathan Hales and promoted Martin Tozzi-Condivi to executive client partner to bolster the agency's client service leadership. Hales has joined AKQA Australia following four years leading the agency's Wellington studio in New Zealand in a similar client leadership role. Tozzi-Condivi has stepped into the executive client partner role after eight years with AKQA. He was previously group client partner. They will report to managing director Justine Leong and will work across the Australian business in close collaboration with David Clarke, executive experience design director; Eric Orton, chief technology officer; Tara McKenty, chief creative officer; Sarah McGregor, executive creative director; and, Rodney Greenfield, data and AI director. Hales will focus on supporting the agency's portfolio of client brands, driving new business growth and expanding its established public sector practice. Tozzi-Condivi will lead multi-disciplinary teams across digital transformation, brand strategy and customer experience optimisation, with a deepened focus on financial services and member-focused organisations. "Jonathan and Martin bring complementary strengths to our client service leadership at an important time for AKQA Australia. Their appointments reflect our continued investment in senior client leadership and our ambition to deepen trusted partnerships across sectors. Together, they will help our teams create meaningful impact and commercial value for clients across Australia," said AKQA Australia managing director Justine Leong. "I'm excited by the opportunity to continue my AKQA journey while relocating to Australia. Remaining part of AKQA is important to me, and I look forward to supporting our Australian clients, growing the public sector practice, and sharing my experience and knowledge with the leadership team," said Hales. "I'm thrilled to take on the Executive Client Partner role at such an exciting time for AKQA. We have an extraordinary team, and I'm looking forward to deepening my focus on the financial services sector - particularly partnering with member-focused organisations - to deliver real-world impact, scale our capabilities, and drive ongoing strategic value and commercial success for our clients," said Tozzi-Condivi. Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.
AKQA New Zealand appoints new executive partner. AKQA NZ executive product director Matt Townsend, new executive partner Viv Baartman and managing director Dave Bentley. AKQA New Zealand has appointed Viv Baartman as its new executive partner. In this role, Baartman will lead the strategic direction and growth of the Wellington studio, strengthen relationships across the government and enterprise sectors and support the evolution of AKQA's national go-to-market transformation offering. She will report to AKQA New Zealand managing director Dave Bentley and work closely with executive product director Matt Townsend and the wider leadership team to shape digital, customer experience and AI-led transformation initiatives. Strong reputation. "Viv brings a rare combination of strategic thinking, operational leadership and deep human understanding," says Bentley. "She has built a strong reputation for helping organisations navigate complexity, align teams and deliver meaningful transformation. As organisations rethink customer experience, digital products and AI adoption, Viv's leadership will be incredibly valuable for both AKQA and our clients." Townsend adds: "Viv has a calm, grounded leadership style and an ability to bring clarity to ambitious transformation programmes. She understands how to connect strategy, delivery and people in a way that creates momentum and lasting impact." Where creativity and technology meet. Baartman joins AKQA with more than two decades of experience leading digital transformation, customer experience and operational strategy initiatives across government, health, finance, tourism and technology sectors. On her appointment, she says: "AKQA sits in that rare space where creativity and technology come together to deliver impact. "It's exactly the kind of work I love being part of - helping organisations navigate change while creating experiences that matter. What drew me here was not just the ambition of the work, but the calibre of the people behind it. I'm super excited to work alongside such a talented, thoughtful and creative team."
Havas London names Seamus Higgins chief creative officer. Mar 11, 2026 Seamus Higgins, who joins from AKQA, boasts 25 years' experience across three continents and is best known for landmark campaign 'The Palau Pledge' Havas London has appointed multi-award-winning creative leader Seamus Higgins as its new chief creative officer. Seamus, who boasts 25 years' experience across three continents and multiple disciplines, returns to Havas for a second spell, having spent an award-laden six years with the group in Australia from 2013-2019 where he created landmark campaign 'The Palau Pledge' and led a creative turn-around to become Agency of the Year. He joins from AKQA, where he was executive creative director of its London studio. He will start at Havas on 26th March and report into Havas London CEO Holly Ripper. Seamus has built his career on a love of creative solutions that don't feel like advertising, and the uncompromising craft of their delivery. It is this approach, as executive creative director of Havas Host in Sydney, where he led world-first immigration initiative 'The Palau Pledge' - which saw visitors to the island nation mandated to act in an ecologically and culturally responsible way to help curb the environmental impact of booming tourist numbers. In addition to being awarded D&AD's Design Black Pencil of the Decade, it picked up two D&AD Black Pencils and three Cannes Lions Grand Prix, becoming the most globally awarded campaign of the year. At Havas Host, Seamus also led one of Australia's largest accounts, Defence Force Recruiting, to the most successful two years in its history, winning a Grand Effie. He oversaw some of the agency's most significant relationships, including Reckitt, Sony and Peugeot, and helped win brands including eBay. Havas Host was subsequently named Agency of the year by the Australian Writers and Art Directors (AWARD) Awards - APAC's benchmark for creative excellence - in 2018. After leaving Havas in 2019, Seamus spent three years as VP chief creative officer, APAC at creative innovation company R/GA, before going to Uncommon Creative Studio, where he won awards for work on accounts including British Airways and B&Q. He re-joined R/GA Australia as chief creative officer in 2023, before returning to London with AKQA in 2025. He has been recognised on Ad Age's Creative All-stars list, judged at multiple shows, including AWARD Awards, Cannes Lions, New York Festivals, D&AD, One Show APAC, was jury president for digital and mobile at Spikes Asia, and has spoken at numerous local and international events, including New York Advertising Week and Cannes Lions. Holly Ripper, CEO at Havas London says, "Seamus is a creative unicorn and an ambitious and generous leader. His diverse background spans big brand thinking, digital, design, social and innovation and his eclectic, unignorable body of work is testament to this. Importantly, this is work that works - as reinforced by the pile of creative and effectiveness awards he's accumulated along the way. He comes highly-rated by peers and colleagues alike." "Ours felt a meeting of minds of what a progressive, modern creative agency should look like - Seamus knows first-hand what Havas at its entrepreneurial best can do, and how to unlock the power and potential of the Village model. I said Havas had the potential to be a little bit dangerous when I started and I am so excited to welcome him into that mission as our new chief creative officer." Seamus Higgins adds, "Holly has a clear and bold vision for the next era of Havas London. I feel privileged and incredibly excited to help bring that to life with the team. The remit is clear and the opportunity is huge. I've long believed in the power of the Havas Village model, and I'm excited to put that to work in London. When you bring the right people together behind a shared ambition, incredible things can happen."