Droga5 names Tara Ford London CCO as global creative line-up evolves

Accenture Song is combining its creative agency capabilities into Droga5 London and has appointed a management team to run the merged business.

Tara Ford, currently chief creative officer at Droga5 in Australia and New Zealand and chief creative officer across Accenture Song in Asia-Pacific, will be the chief creative officer at Droga5 London. She replaces Shelley Smoler, who left last year.

Will Hodge, chief strategy officer at Accenture Song and previously co-chief at Accenture Song, will be the CSO at the enlarged Droga5 London, replacing Damien Le Castrec, who moved to Lucky Generals alongside Smoler in late 2024. 

Bill Scott, chief executive of Droga5 London since 2015, dropped his additional role as managing director of Accenture Song in the UK and Ireland last year to focus on the Droga5 business. 

Barbara Humphries, formerly executive creative director at Droga5 ANZ, has been promoted to co-chief creative officer for Australia and New Zealand. She steps into the role alongside Damon Stapleton, who was previously chief creative officer at Droga5 Aotearoa. Together, they will lead creative across all ANZ offices, working closely with regional CEO Matt Michael.

Accenture Song’s creative agency will move to Droga5’s offices in the City from its base in Farringdon as part of the changes. Droga5 London's ranks will swell to around 170, from 70 at the end of 2024, according to its School Report. Clients include Lidl, The British Army, JPMorgan Chase and Suntory.

Mark Green, the global chief executive of Droga5, said: “We have set a fairly ambitious plan around doubling the business over the next three years. The vision for Droga5 globally is to be the most influential creative company in the world, and to double down on creative ambition, which is something that has always been at the heart of Droga5 since its inception.

“We want to continue that legacy, but also reinvent it in a new way for the future. It's about getting on the front foot, probably answering some of the challenges that we've had historically, but kind of looking at the future with the idea of growth and reinvigorated creative leadership.

“Tara is someone that I've worked with very closely and has been a huge success in ANZ and on a global scale, with back-to-back Grands Prix [at Cannes Lions]. She's not daunted by the challenge of London. The fact that it kind of needs reinvigoration is also quite exciting for her.”

During her time at the Accenture-owned agency, Ford has overseen work including the Film Grand Prix-winning “Play it safe” for the Sydney Opera House and “The first digital nation” for the Tuvaluan Government, which received the Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2023.

Ford said: “I'm not here to f*** around. I'm moving across the world. It's not going to be for nothing. And I think it's really important that everyone in the agency knows that we have a big ambition, it's not just a creative department; it's everybody. We need everybody to be wanting the same thing and really going for it with every decision they make.”

Hodge has been at Karmarama, which Accenture bought in 2016 and rebranded as Accenture Song in 2022, since 2012. He became executive strategy director in 2017 and chief strategy officer in 2020.

Following the departure of James Denton-Clark, Hodge became co-chief alongside Zoe Eagle, now chief executive at Iris. Hodge's new role returns him to his core passion of helping brands solve problems with strategic thinking, but with the knowledge and understanding of the wider Accenture Song business.

Hodge, who assumes his role immediately, said: “The [Accenture] Song that remains and stays strong is one that ultimately still answers across the entire customer experience. The bit that is really exciting about the new era of Droga5 is knowing where and how to build those bridges so that all of our creativity can be powered by Song.”

Scott's hire was Droga5's second attempt to establish itself in London. He oversaw a period of commercial and creative success at the agency alongside chief creative officer David Kolbusz and chief strategy officer Dylan Williams. The agency received four consecutive 8s for outstanding in Campaign's School Reports, but has faltered in recent years.

Scott said: “You kind of go: 'How are we really going to get Droga5 future fit and dominating and winning again?' So, hence why we think creating—in bad maths—a one plus one equals three proposition is exciting. If insanity is keeping on doing the same thing, and expecting a different result, this feels like the pivot we wanted.”

Rebecca Bezzina, formerly chief executive of RGA in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, continues as the marketing practice lead for the UK, Ireland and Africa. 

Accenture Song had 755 staff in the UK on 31 December 2024, which included AI, brand, data, marketing advisory, production and tech capabilities as well as creative.

The UK changes follow Droga5's establishment of a new global leadership team last year. In March 2024, it hired Pelle Sjoenell, a former global chief creative officer at Bartle Bogle Hegarty, as its global chief creative officer, its first dedicated creative leader since 2021. 

Sjoenell said: "I've been admiring [Ford] from afar. Now I get to work with her. This is like when planets align. It was my dream scenario. This is the exciting new chapter that the industry needs, that the UK needs, and that Droga5 can do."

In August 2024, the agency appointed Green, a co-founder of The Monkeys and Accenture Song’s lead in Australia and New Zealand, as global chief executive of Droga5, filling a vacancy that had been open since January 2022. At the same time, Accenture Song announced plans to rebrand The Monkeys as Droga5 Australia and New Zealand. 

Emma Montgomery, previously chief executive of DDB Chicago, completed Droga5’s top trio as global chief strategy officer in December. 

Droga5 has offices in Auckland, Dublin, London, New York, Melbourne, São Paulo, Sydney and employs over 1000 staff. In each of the other cities where Droga5 operates, Accenture Song also offers creative work, which will not change as part of the changes in London.

This article was originally published on Campaign UK and has been updated by the Campaign Asia-Pacific team to reflect the latest ANZ appointments.