AKQA has promoted Rodney Greenfield to Executive Director of AI & Data, expanding his remit across Australia and New Zealand and joining the agency’s local leadership team.
Greenfield steps up from his role as Technical Director, where he led technology work on clients including Bunnings and spearheaded AI initiatives for Microsoft, Japan Airlines, and the building industry.
With more than 25 years’ experience across design, software development and technology leadership, Greenfield’s career has spanned graphic design, commercial software, and agency-side tech leadership.
“What I admire about AKQA is its ambition,” Greenfield said. “We solve hard problems in beautiful ways, pushing the craft further.
“Many talk about innovation, but AKQA delivers it with a level of elegance, depth and precision that’s rare.
“Too often, LLMs are deployed as cost-cutting tools and miss their potential to transform brand engagement.
“The real opportunity lies in creating contextually rich, visually immersive, and human-centred experiences that blend intelligence with creativity – enabling entirely new forms of emotional and experiential connection between brands and audiences.”
At AKQA, he has overseen projects ranging from generative AI-powered sales agents for Microsoft’s channel ecosystem, to AI-driven journey mapping for Japan Airlines. His appointment reflects the agency’s focus on embedding AI into marketing, customer experience, and business transformation.
Greenfield will work with AKQA’s Australian leadership team, including MD Justine Leong, CCO Tara McKenty, CSO Iona Macgregor, Executive Experience Design Director David Clarke, Engineering Director Miriam Healy, and CGO Jeremy Smart, to expand the agency’s AI and data offering.
He will also play a key role in guiding clients through building, experimenting, and scaling AI-powered experiences.
AKQA Australia Managing Director Justine Leong said: “AI is now a battleground for agency differentiation, and Rodney’s elevation to the leadership team reinforces our commitment to treating it not just as a tool, but as a strategic foundation. Clients want faster delivery and lower costs – but quality is often the missing link.
“At AKQA, our craft-oriented, human-centred ethos doesn’t change with AI; it pushes us to expand the creative horizon, fusing intelligence, design, and visual storytelling to deliver richer, more resonant brand experiences.
“Efficiency should never come at the cost of humanity or craft. With Rodney, AKQA will be at the forefront of intelligent, adaptive, and human-led innovation.”
Top image, left to right: David Clarke, Miriam Healy, Rodney Greenfield, Jeremy Smart, Justine Leong, Iona Macgregor, Tara McKenty