Red Engine SCC Ups the Octane with New Strategy and Creative Senior Leadership Hires

Marking the next stage of the digital creative agency’s evolution, Red Engine SCC has announced two key senior hires with the appointment of Jye Smith as General Manager and Strategy Director and Dan Saunders as Group Executive Creative Director. Senior Account Manager Katy Ward has also been promoted to Account Director.

Following the departure of the agency’s General Manager and Strategy Director, Kate Richardson, Smith has returned to Australia from Hong Kong to jointly lead Red Engine SCC alongside Founder and CEO, Julian Townley.

Subsequent to six years working in Asia Pacific, most recently as Director, Brand & Marketing at PwC’s Experience Centre and previously, Senior Vice President - Head of Digital APAC with Weber Shandwick, Smith brings to the agency his unique mix of strategy and communications experience.

Says Smith: “Red Engine SCC is an independent agency which has been designed to focus on building adaptive brands through insight and technology.

“They have a proven track record of digital creative success, and, after spending my career in all aspects of advertising and consulting, I believe our model of agency will be a force to be reckoned with.”

In line with the expanding scale of the agency and tasked with leading its creative vision, Saunders has joined in the newly created position of Group ECD. Hailing from London, Saunders has spent the past 17 years working on high profile brands, including in his recent roles as Creative Director at Sapient Nitro London and as Creative Lead at VML Sydney.

“The opportunity to work with a creative agency such as Red Engine SCC is significant, and one that I'm excited about,” Saunders said.

“We have some very talented and driven people on board and I look forward to working with the entire team as we look to further develop the creative and strategic direction of Red Engine SCC.”

After working with Red Engine SCC for three years in client services, Katy Ward’s promotion to Account Director is effective immediately.

“It’s an exciting time for the agency and broader RE Group as we welcome truly dynamic leadership in Jye Smith and Dan Saunders and reward consistent high performance in Katy Ward; whose commitment and tenacity has seen her go from strength to strength,” says Red Engine SCC Founder and CEO Julian Townley.

“Entrepreneurial spirit is flourishing across our group. Jye naturally aligns with our ambition to reframe our strategic offering, while Dan will drive our increased focus on creative brilliance. This will create an environment that will nurture unique and exciting opportunities for our valued clients going forward,” Townley added.

Reflecting Red Engine SCC’s further growth, The AFR Fast 100 (2017) listed company has also moved into a premier new space, located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD - the Carla Zampatti building on 3/435a Kent Street.

Image Caption: (Left - Right) Dan Saunders, Katy Ward and Jye Smith.