Designworks has appointed Megan D’Audney as Managing Partner, marking her return to Auckland after a global career across leading agencies and entrepreneurial ventures. Tasked with guiding the brand design agency’s creative, strategy and client teams, she will also foster collaboration across WPP’s Auckland campus to drive creatively-fuelled growth.
Designworks, long regarded as one of New Zealand’s most influential brand design agencies, has named seasoned leader and business founder Megan D’Audney as its new Managing Partner, ushering in what many see as a defining moment for the agency’s next chapter. Her appointment signals both a homecoming and a strategic move aimed at strengthening the agency’s creative leadership while deepening collaboration within WPP’s growing Aotearoa network.
D’Audney returns to Auckland with an impressive portfolio of international experience built across London, Singapore, Melbourne, New York, Miami and New Zealand. Across these markets, she has shaped brands, led multidisciplinary teams and developed a leadership style that balances creative ambition with commercial acumen. That combination, industry observers say, is particularly relevant for agencies navigating a rapidly evolving brand landscape where design, strategy and customer experience increasingly intersect.
Her role will see her leading Designworks’ brand strategy, creative and client service teams, with an additional mandate to foster closer ties with other WPP businesses housed within the new Auckland campus. The move reflects WPP’s broader push to create more integrated offerings for clients by bringing specialist capabilities into closer proximity and encouraging cross-discipline collaboration.
WPP Australia and New Zealand President Rose Herceg described the appointment as a natural fit for both the agency and its future ambitions. She characterised Designworks as an iconic business requiring a unique type of leadership at this point in its journey.
“Designworks is an iconic business in NZ and one that requires a unique leader to take the helm,” Herceg said. “Megan’s local market knowledge and global experience, teamed with innovative approaches and drive to build business, is a perfect fit for the future of the agency, and our clients looking for creatively-fuelled growth.”
Herceg also pointed to the agency’s longstanding reputation for shaping some of the country’s biggest brands, noting that D’Audney’s calibre and track record align closely with the expectations attached to that legacy.
“Deeply respected and awarded with a heritage of building the country’s biggest brands, we’re thrilled to have someone of Megan’s calibre join and lead the team,” she added.
D’Audney’s career has traversed a broad spectrum of the communications and branding world. From direct marketing to above-the-line advertising, brand development, guest experience and design, she has cultivated expertise that spans both creative disciplines and business growth. Her experience includes time at some of the industry’s most recognised agencies, including TBWA, M&C Saatchi, DDB and Elmwood, where she worked across diverse client portfolios and markets.
Beyond agency life, D’Audney also brings entrepreneurial experience, having founded two successful personal care brands. Those ventures provided firsthand exposure to the realities of building a brand from scratch, navigating product development, market entry, consumer engagement and operational growth. It is this blend of agency leadership and startup pragmatism that many believe will resonate strongly within Designworks’ culture, which has long prided itself on combining design excellence with strategic thinking.
For D’Audney, the opportunity to return to New Zealand and lead an agency she has long admired carries personal as well as professional significance.
“Designworks is an icon,” she said. “The incredible work produced consistently over many years is why it still holds the reputation as one of the best in New Zealand. Returning home to take up the Managing Partner role is a fantastic opportunity I couldn’t say no to.”
She also highlighted her enthusiasm for working closely with the agency’s teams and leveraging the broader WPP network.
“Leading the brilliant team at Designworks into the future and getting to spend every day with them in the studio is beyond exciting, as well as having the ability to tap into the deep talent offered with the broader WPP Aotearoa family,” she said.
Her appointment comes at a time when brand design agencies are under increasing pressure to demonstrate value beyond aesthetics. Clients are seeking partners who can link design thinking to business outcomes, customer experience and long-term brand growth. Industry analysts note that leaders with both global exposure and entrepreneurial understanding are particularly well placed to navigate this shift.
Designworks’ integration into WPP’s new Auckland campus provides additional opportunities to rethink how specialist agencies collaborate to deliver holistic solutions. With media, technology, creative and design capabilities in closer alignment, the potential for cross-pollination of ideas and services is significant. D’Audney’s role will include ensuring that Designworks not only maintains its distinct creative identity but also actively participates in this broader ecosystem.
The leadership change follows the departure of former Managing Partner Joanne Reid, who left the agency in 2025 after two years in the role. Reid’s tenure was marked by continued creative output and stability during a period of industry change. D’Audney now inherits a team with strong foundations and a respected reputation, while also facing the challenge of steering it through new market dynamics.
Observers note that her global perspective could influence how Designworks positions itself beyond New Zealand, potentially attracting more international work or collaborations. Her familiarity with diverse markets and client expectations may also inform how the agency evolves its offerings to remain competitive in a fast-moving design landscape.
For staff within the agency, her arrival is expected to bring renewed energy and perspective, particularly in how creativity, strategy and client service intersect. Her track record of building strong client relationships and driving revenue growth is likely to be a focus as the agency seeks to expand its footprint while maintaining its creative standards.
D’Audney officially begins her role this month, stepping into a position that carries both heritage and expectation. As she settles into the Auckland studio, her task will be to honour Designworks’ legacy while shaping its future direction within a changing industry and a more interconnected WPP network.
For Designworks, the appointment represents more than a leadership change. It marks a moment of recalibration, where global insight, entrepreneurial thinking and local understanding converge in a single role. For D’Audney, it is a return home with a mandate to lead one of the country’s most respected design agencies into its next era of creatively-fuelled growth.
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