Leo Burnett Chicago Names Aki Spicer as Chief Strategy Officer

Leo Burnett Chicago today named Aki Spicer to the role of chief strategy officer. Elevated from the role of EVP and global strategy lead, Aki begins in his new role immediately and will report to Andrew Swinand, Leo Burnett Group CEO.

“Aki is a rare thinker whose steeped in the classical aspects of the discipline, but with an edge to help architect our agency for the future of the industry,” said Andrew. “Cultural fluency, a dynamic understanding of data and a passion for experience design, he brings it all to the table.” 

Aki will be charged with leading a team of more than 40 strategists across Leo Burnett Chicago’s client roster.

Aki joined Leo Burnett in October 2018 to lead global strategy for Samsung, spanning Mobile, visual display and appliances, brand and post-purchase experience, since then taking on responsibility for additional clients including Facebook Messenger. Prior to joining the agency, Aki served as chief strategy officer at TBWA/Chiat/Day New York where he worked on marquee brands like Nissan, McDonald’s and Hilton, and helped revolutionise the agency’s offerings through new processes and methodologies.

“Leo Burnett is a storied brand with an incredible legacy of creative innovation, paving the way for modern disciplines like media and content strategy, experience design and the idea of building populist brands through cultural relevancy,” Aki said. “Where better than Leo Burnett to reprise that for this modern era? I’m thrilled to take up that mantle and carry it forward in a world where data promises to make us smarter than ever across so many channels.”

In his new role, Aki will work closely with recently appointed chief creative officer Jordan Doucette to elevate the agency’s ability to deliver platform ideas, work across teams to help articulate the marriage of strategy and data, and strengthen the integration of creative disciplines within the department’s offering.

Aki has been featured at 4As, AMA, chief digital officer forum and planning-ness conferences. He has been published in Fast Company, AdMap, and The Age of Conversation books, and his work has been awarded by Cannes Lions, Effies, AdFed and Google Creative Canvas. He also taught the first e-marketing curriculum at University of Minnesota, and was most recently noted as one of Campaign Magazine's ‘40 Over 40’ Digital Marketers.