Clemenger Appoints Stuart Bailey as Chief Media Officer

Clemenger BBDO has appointed Stuart Bailey as its new chief media officer, accelerating the agency’s ambition to deliver integrated solutions that marry creativity and media to drive business impact.

A respected industry leader with more than 20 years of experience across the UK and Australia, Stuart brings a rare breadth of expertise across media, digital transformation, business management and agency leadership. He brings experience from senior roles across major agency groups, including OMG, most recently as chief operating officer at PHD Australia.

Throughout his career, Stuart has helped transform some of the world’s most iconic brands including McDonald’s, Unilever, Telstra, PepsiCo, Kellogg’s, ANZ, Virgin Australia, VW, and Village Roadshow. His experience spans business operations, digital acceleration, trading and client leadership, giving him a holistic view of the evolving media landscape.

Stuart is also a long-time industry advocate and thought leader. As chair of the MFA Interactive Committee, he led the development of the MFA Digital Foundations exam, now completed by more than 1,000 professionals across Australia. He also co-created the Australian Digital Advertising Practices in partnership with the IAB, MFA and AANA, helping to raise standards across viewability, brand safety and ad fraud. This work led to him receiving the inaugural MFA Industry Contribution award.

Clemenger BBDO CEO Lee Leggett said, “Stu is an exceptional leader and operator who understands the power of creativity and media working together. His experience, vision and values make him the perfect person to help us bolster our integrated, modern agency model.”

Stuart said, “Clemenger BBDO has always stood for creative excellence, and I’m excited to be part of something that brings together creativity, media, and innovation in a unique and powerful way. Media is a critical piece of the puzzle. It shapes how creativity is experienced and how ideas drive business outcomes. I’m looking forward to helping build a connected, strategic and high-impact model that delivers across the entire customer journey.”

PHD CEO Mark Jarrett said, "Stu has been an integral part of PHD’s success. I am deeply appreciative of his hard work and commitment, and the results he has helped us drive over that time. His leadership, critical thinking and deep understanding of our business have left a lasting impact. I’m delighted he’ll continue to bring his talent and expertise to Omnicom Oceania in his new role at Clemenger BBDO, and I wish him every success in this exciting next chapter.”

This appointment rounds out Clemenger BBDO’s leadership team, and follows the agency’s continued momentum, winning two significant accounts this year in Kmart and COLORBOND steel.