Dentsu has confirmed the permanent appointment of David Halter as chief practice officer for Dentsu Creative Australia and Vanessa Nicol chief operating officer for dentsu ANZ.
The appointments, announced to clients at an invite-only event last night, follow a successful interim period in which both leaders provided stability and focus during a period of change for the Dentsu Creative business.
Dentsu Creative brings together creative, earned and experience teams under one structure. In Australia, Dentsu Creative's team is spread across the east coast and works with brands including American Express, Chery, Adobe, NBN, The Iconic, Zespri and nib.
Halter brings experience in strategy, client leadership and business management, having previously served as chief strategy officer for dentsu ANZ.
"We have great people at DC, and a client list we are proud to partner with. My focus is on continuing to improve the quality of our creative work in all its forms and supporting our people the best way I can to create impact for clients," Halter said.
Nicol will move permanently into the role of chief operating officer for dentsu ANZ, bringing experience in agency operations and transformation.
She will oversee operations across the ANZ business, with responsibility for streaming operations, AI enhancements and ways of working. Nicol will work closely with Halter and the broader leadership team to support operations across Dentsu Creative and the wider dentsu group.
"You can feel the momentum across the agency. We're accelerating our operational processes with new technology to set our team and our clients up for success," Nicol said.
Dentsu ANZ chief executive Rob Harvey said Halter and Nicol had done an outstanding job stepping into their roles over the past four months.
"David and Vanessa have done an outstanding job stepping into their roles over the past four months, bringing clarity, care and immediate impact," Harvey said.
“Their leadership has been felt quickly by both our people and our clients, and their approach is strongly aligned with our values and ambition as a connected dentsu group.
"They are both highly respected, tenured leaders within dentsu, and their permanent appointments are a clear reflection of the strength of our internal talent and the depth of capability we have across ANZ.
"As we enter 2026 with confidence and momentum, David and Vanessa will play a key role in shaping the next phase of growth for Dentsu Creative and the broader dentsu ANZ business."
The appointments are effective immediately.
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