The Founder and CEO of London-headquartered design and innovation agency- AKQA, Ajaz Khowaj Quoram Ahmed has resigned as the CEO of AKQA Group.
Having formed AKQA in 1994, he had been the agency’s CEO for the past 30 years.
That being said, it was in 2012 that the ad holding company- WPP had acquired AKQA and since 2020, the same operated alongside sister agency- Grey within the AKQA Group.
With this development in place, not only does Ahmed’s 30 years long association with AKQA comes to an end, but makes way for WPP’s Chief Technology Officer Stephan Pretorius to oversee the business of AKQA Group as he plays the role of interim chair until the agency announces Ahmed’s successor.
In the meantime, AKQA Group will also be led operationally by the existing leadership team at AKQA and Grey.
Over these 30 years of existence, AKQA has built a reputation as one of the pioneering innovation agencies and is known for delivering cutting-edge, technology-enabled products and services to many leading brands and organisations, receiving widespread global recognition for creative excellence and breakthrough work.
In fact, under Ahmed’s leadership, AKQA has achieved the distinction of winning Agency of the Year awards 83 times and had most recently won 11 Most Loved Workplace awards, all highlighting the agency’s commitment to developing a strong and positive employee culture.
Commenting on his departure from the agency group, Ahmed said, “Though my time at AKQA has ended, the work goes on, the ambition still burns, the desire to do better never leaves us, and the dream shall never die. Serving AKQA’s team, clients and values over the past 30 years has been the greatest honour of my life. Founding AKQA at a young age was the start of an incredible journey, and if destiny allows, I look forward to another 30 years of meaningful work and making a difference. I’m tremendously energised about the adventures ahead and the opportunity to do something new.”
“AKQA is internationally respected for its pioneering outlook, which proves that courage, curiosity, and perseverance can overcome the toughest odds. One of the reasons I believe in serendipity is that the story of AKQA is one where the odds were always stacked against us, but we made it from the basement to the boardrooms of the world’s most inspirational brands. The dotcom crash, the global financial crisis, the pandemic, and the recent downturn have all tested our fortitude. But instead of retreating, we turned obstacles into opportunities. The challenging moments didn’t break us — they made us stronger, more determined, and more united. It was in times of greatest uncertainty that our team found its greatest strength,” he added.
To this, Mark Read, CEO, WPP, added, “Under Ajaz’s leadership AKQA has become one of the world’s most recognised and highly regarded agencies. It’s a brilliant business with many extremely talented people around the world. With its exceptional global team, capabilities and expertise, AKQA is well-positioned for continued success and we thank Ajaz for his vision and contribution to the business.”
