Dentsu Creative has appointed its first chief creative officer for East Africa, promoting Kenyan executive creative director, Maxwell Ngari, to the new role.
Charged with rewriting the creative narrative across Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, and Tanzania, he will now oversee a 120-strong department, working with local leaders to shape breakthrough work that fuses cultural resonance with commercial impact. His mandate: to elevate creativity as a business driver, champion award-winning work and ignite a dynamic, collaborative talent ecosystem across East Africa.
“Africa’s creative power is and will always be undeniable. Stepping into this role will allow me to unite our creative firepower across borders, turning our collaborative momentum into outrageous impactful ideas that command attention and earn their place in global stages,” said Ngari.
A multi-award-winning leader, Ngari recently shattered ceilings at the 2025 Loeries, bringing home Gold and a Grand Prix for Tusker’s Stitched with Cheer campaign, the first Grand Prix Loerie win ever for a Kenyan agency in the design category. Alongside recognition at Cannes Lions, the victory placed Kenya firmly on the creative map and signalled Africa’s arrival on the global stage.
Since Ngari joined dentsu in 2020, the creative business has grown by more than 20%, adding the country’s leading brands to its roster. It’s been named Pitcher and DMA Agency of the Year four years in a row, and helped both Tusker and NCBA achieve brand and marketer of the year accolades. He is an in-demand juror at the world’s most prestigious award shows, including Cannes Lions and the One Show.
“This appointment reflects our belief that creativity is the ultimate growth engine, and comes at a pivotal moment,” said Dawn Rowlands, CEO of dentsu Africa. “Africa’s creative industry is not following global trends; it is now setting them. Multinational brands are increasingly looking for homegrown talent to reach consumers across the continent, with work that originates here; but also, for cultural inspiration that resonates internationally.
“As the number one network in East Africa, we are perfectly poised to partner with clients looking to tap into what’s next. With Max’s rare ability to unite ambition with commercial impact and nurture talent, we are confident he will build an even stronger, more connected and future-focused creative network across SSA.”
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