Emma Montgomery to Join DDB Chicago as CEO

DDB Worldwide announced the addition of Emma Montgomery as CEO, DDB Chicago. Emma will partner with CCO Rodrigo Jatene and report into global president & chief operating officer Alex Lubar, in another key move for the DDB network in a series of leadership hires to further bolster DDB’s offering in North America.

Emma joins DDB Chicago from Leo Burnett Australia, one of Australia’s most effective creative agencies. She has more than 20 years in the marketing and communications industry in leadership roles across Australia, in the US and globally, helping many of the world’s largest brands navigate change in ways that create commercial opportunity. She has also guided many of the world’s largest agencies to evolve to meet the needs of today’s shifting marketing landscape.  Prior to her role at Leo Burnett, she was TBWA’s global co-chief strategy officer, and Leo Burnett Chicago’s president and CSO. 

Said Emma: “I am incredibly delighted to be joining Alex, Rodrigo and the DDB Chicago team at such a pivotal time for creativity and bold thinking. It’s both an honour and thrill to be contributing to the next chapter of this iconic agency's history.”

Emma brings a unique multidisciplinary background, having worked across media, creative and TV programming, leading strategy, analytics, experience design and content development. She has deep experience partnering with clients as diverse as Kellogg’s, Kraft, Aldi, Bank of America, Diageo and Molson Coors to collide an in-depth knowledge of shifting behaviour with the expansive power of creativity to imagine new paths for their brands.  Her work has been recognised at Cannes, D&AD, One Show and Clios.

In 2022, Emma earned the number 18 spot on the B&T Women in Media Power List, and has previously been named by Ad Age as one of the top Women to Watch the same year Leo Burnett Chicago was named an Agency to Watch under her leadership.

Said Alex Lubar, global president & chief operating officer: “We are super fortunate to add another dynamic leader to our DDB Chicago team. Emma brings a unique depth of experience, authenticity, strategic acumen, and a strong passion for creativity, clients, and culture that is beyond inspiring. She’s a proven leader who creates impact, strengthens cultures, and fuels client growth. It will be great to have her back in the Chicago market, this time in our camp.”

DDB Chicago is the highest performing agency creatively in North America for the DDB Worldwide network. As a result of recent award shows, DDB Chicago has garnered 80+ awards in 2023 alone, across five campaigns – 10 pencils at D&AD, including two Yellow Pencils; 11 pencils at One Show, including the Best in Design; 17 cubes at Art Directors’ Club, including Best in Advertising, Best in Typography, and the Designism Cube; The Grandy and five golds at the Andy’s; and 20 statuettes at the Clios, including 10 Golds.

Said Rodrigo: “Having a partner like Emma will make us that much more fierce. She’s a genuine champion of creativity and culture and we are lucky to have her unique energy and talent. We have achieved great success and creative accolades this year, and with Emma joining to further fuel all we’ve accomplished, we will be an unstoppable force.”

Notably, Emma joins DDB Chicago during a period of growth with new business wins earlier this year such as Orkin Pest Control, Reynold’s Consumer Products (Hefty and Reynold’s Wrap), Bimbo Bakery (ABO and Thomas’) and Oma Fertility Clinic.

Emma will relocate from Australia to Chicago late this summer.