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Opportunity knocks: AKQA leadership exodus continues

Does anyone want to back a ready-made world class digital agency? WPP used to have one called AKQA but now nearly all its ledership has departed in the wake of founder Ajaz Ahmed’s surprise decision to resign late last year – the latest to go is North America managing partner Erik Rogstad – bringing the total number of senior exits to around a dozen.

WPP, which rolled AKQA in with Grey in the round of mergers that led to the creation of VML from JWT, Wunderman and Y&R, has installed its own management, led for now by chief technology officer Stephen Pretorious. What’s left of AKQA has said: “We announced a new global executive committee and structure in December last year, announcing three regional CEOs and AKQA’s new model. It would not be appropriate to comment on the circumstances of individual departures, but we remain grateful for the exceptional leaders who have shaped AKQA and those who continue to drive our success.”

None of the AKQA refugees, including Ahmed (above), have said what they’re planning to do next. Ad Age reports that several former executives said that throughout the year that WPP had been progressively looking to change aspects of AKQA’s operations, such as how the agency shows up during WPP client opportunities.

“The teams are being told ‘do not tell the client you’re from AKQA, leave your brand name at the door’ … in almost every WPP client opportunity,” one former executive reportedly said. Global client leads at WPP are now reportedly overseeing AKQA clients.

Big digital agencies have hit the buffers recently – IPG has sold Huge to private equity and is seeking to offload R/GA. AKQA never looked a good fit with Grey although, at the time of the merger, it had its name on the door.

A revived AKQA (under anther flag presumably) might well prosper with private equity backing. WPP paid £300m for P/E-backed AKQA back in the day.

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