Saatchi and Saatchi has appointed one of Australia’s most respected strategy leaders, Leif Stromnes, as its new Chief Strategy Officer.
He joins the agency after a 25 year career at DDB Group, stepping into the role in January.
The appointment fills the position previously held by Rachel Walker, who relocated to the UK earlier this year.
In his new role, Stromnes will oversee strategy teams in both Melbourne and Sydney and work alongside Chief Creative Officers Mandie van der Merwe and Avish Gordhan.
His remit includes driving innovation in planning and expanding the agency’s use of AI across strategy and creative.
Announcing the appointment, Patrick Rowe, CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi Australia, said:
“Strategy is the foundation of everything we do, and Leif brings a wealth of experience and a future-focused mindset that will help us unlock even greater creative impact for our clients.”
“His leadership will ensure we continue to deliver bold, innovative solutions that embody our belief that ‘Nothing is Impossible’. Plus, he’s a lovely human and a lot of fun. We’re excited to have him as part of our team.”
Across more than three decades, Stromnes has worked in South Africa, Australia, Asia and the United States.
What he brings to the table?
A founding member of the Effies Awards, he spent much of his career rising through DDB Group, serving as head of strategic planning, CSO and later group managing director of strategy and innovation.
His client experience spans Unilever, McDonald’s, Arnott’s, Tourism Australia, Westpac, Virgin Airlines, Volkswagen, Coles, Mars, Kmart and Telstra.
Reflecting on his appointment, Stromnes said:
“I’m thrilled to be joining such a storied and acclaimed creative agency in our region. I have long been an admirer of the consistently high bar that Saatchi and Saatchi has set, and with the power of Publicis Groupe behind us, I’m excited to see how we can truly unlock the ‘Nothing is Impossible’ mantra for our clients and business.”
He joins Saatchi and Saatchi during one of its strongest growth periods in recent years, following new business wins including Yourfoodz and 13Cabs. The agency continues to work with Toyota, Arnott’s, Heineken, Nescafe and Cancer Council Australia.
Stromnes’ remit also includes a leadership role in New Zealand, where he will partner with Saatchi and Saatchi NZ executive strategy director Tim Cullihane.