AKQA promotes Luciano Di Leonardo to executive technology director

AKQA has promoted Luciano Di Leonardo to executive technology director, Australia, expanding his remit across the agency's technology and engineering practice.

Di Leonardo will lead AKQA Australia's technology practice, its engineering organisation and its technology strategy for clients. He will oversee technical delivery across the Australian client portfolio and lead a team of solution architects, technical leads, delivery leads and principal engineers.

A key focus of the role is moving the practice towards AI-native development, including agentic AI tools, updated engineering workflows and new capability frameworks.

Di Leonardo said the rapid development of AI is a significant opportunity for the agency and its people.

“AI is a once-in-a-generation inflection point. In much the same way the internet reshaped our industry 25 years ago, AI is changing how we create, engineer and deliver experiences,” said Luciano.

“My ambition is to move technology beyond being a delivery partner to becoming an invention partner. That means being people-led and AI-amplified – using AI to extend the ingenuity, craftsmanship and creativity of our teams, rather than replace what makes them exceptional.”

Di Leonardo has been at AKQA for more than 15 years, leading technical strategy, enterprise architecture and engineering practices. Before that, he held technology roles in Australia and the UK across insurance, digital, product development and IT.

At AKQA he has worked on retail, insurance, superannuation, travel, government and entertainment accounts, including AustralianSuper, Foodstuffs NZ, Inland Revenue NZ, Visit Victoria, HESTA, RACWA, Australian Ethical Super and Country Road Group’s digital transformation.

He also set up AKQA's 24/7 managed services support operation and has recruited, mentored and developed more than 100 technology specialists.

In the new role, Di Leonardo will report to Eric Orton, chief technology officer, APAC, and will work with AKQA Australia managing director Justine Leong and the local executive team across creative, strategy, experience design and client services.

Orton said: “Luciano has been at the heart of every major transformation in our business over the last 15 years, leading some of our highest-impact work across Australia and New Zealand. His leadership, technical depth and commitment to our teams and clients have helped shape so much of what we’ve achieved together.

“AI is bringing one of the biggest shifts our industry has seen, fundamentally changing the way ideas are conceived, built and experienced. I’m thrilled to have Luciano guiding our team and clients in Australia through this next chapter, and I look forward to what we’ll achieve together.”

Di Leonardo added: “I care deeply about this team and the future we can build together. I want to create a clear vision, elevate the people who are already pushing boundaries and make AKQA’s technology practice a place where exceptional technologists are proud to do the best work of their careers.”

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