DEPT® announces new leadership structure and Global SVP roles

DEPT® has announced a new structure to its regional leadership as it continues its international expansion. In addition to the introduction of a new regional c-level, DEPT® has created Global SVP roles to unite and drive the agency’s services across all of its operating markets. 

In the UK, Jamie Kenny and Alex Miller, the co-founders of Byte which joined DEPT® in February 2021, will step into the roles of Global SVPs of Creative & Content. Jonathan Whiteside, co-founder of Building Blocks which joined DEPT® in 2016, will move from his role as Principal Technology Consultant into Global SVP of Technology & Engineering, together with Jesse Streb, co-founder of Rocket Insights (part of Dept) in the US. 

“We have rapidly grown over the past few years and welcomed some pioneering agency founders and leaders to DEPT®,” said Dimi Albers, CEO, DEPT®. “By placing these people into Global SVP roles aligned to our core pillars of creativity, technology and data, we will accelerate our global service lines, instill excellence across everything we do, and grow the next generation of digital leaders.”

DEPT® has grown from 120 people in the Netherlands in 2016 to over 2,000 digital marketing, data, creative and technology experts working together across fifteen countries today. The agency has grown by 50% each year, and expanded into new markets across Europe and the Americas. DEPT®’s new leadership, all of whom are current team members stepping into expanded roles, will be crucial in facilitating the growth that is expected over the coming years and the move toward one unified, global brand. 

DEPT®’s new Global SVPs include:
Jamie Kenny and  Alex Miller – Global SVPs of Creative & Content
Jonathan Whiteside and Jesse Streb – Global SVPs of Technology & Engineering
Willem Blom – Global SVP of Media, Performance & Data

Regional leadership appointments include:
Joep Roosen – Chief Operations Officer (COO) for DEPT® Europe
Ashley Streb, Chief Client Officer (CCO) for DEPT® Americas
Alisa Kuno, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operations Officer (COO) for DEPT® Americas

Jonathan Whiteside has over twenty years of technical web development experience. He co-founded design and build agency Building Blocks back in 2007. In 2016, Building Blocks joined DEPT® and Jonathan took up the position of Principal Technology Consultant, focusing on helping organisations become more efficient and effective by using digital technologies.

Speaking of his new appointment as Global SVP of Technology & Engineering, Jonathan said: “Technology is the enabler of digital transformation. And digital changes every day. In order to keep up with the rapid pace of change, businesses across the globe are evolving how they use technology to ensure they are future-ready. DEPT® has an incredibly talented team of over 700 engineers across ten countries who are at the forefront of innovation. I’m looking forward to working with them to develop new skills to drive the technology solutions of tomorrow, to ensure DEPT® is always best placed to help our clients accelerate their digital business.”

After working together for nearly 20-years, Byte’s founders, Alex Miller and Jamie Kenny, realised adland needed an agency that could evolve as quickly as martech. They established Byte in 2014 to help clients lean into emerging technologies like AR, chatbots and machine learning.  Regularly featured in the FT 1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies, Byte counts some of the most pioneering digital brands in the world as clients and grew to 150 people across London, New York and Berlin, before merging with DEPT® in February 2021.

Jamie Kenny has over 25 years of agency experience. He started his career in above-the-line advertising before focusing on digital marketing. He co-founded Byte in 2014, alongside Alex Miller, having been Chief Strategy Officer at Jam.  Speaking of his new role, Jamie said: “I’m excited to be taking on this new role to help accelerate DEPT®’s creative and content capabilities on a global scale. We see creative as being intrinsically linked to media, experience and technology. We’re building a market leading agency that will help brands stay ahead.”

DEPT® also announced today that it has expanded its global leadership team with the addition of Amanda Schmidt to Chief People Officer and Missy Foristall to Chief Operating Officer. Schmidt joins from WPP/Group M’s Essence, where she was Global Chief People Officer. Foristall was previously Vice President at IBM within their Digital, Marketing and Technology groups. Learn more here.