The Comms Council announces DDB Aotearoa CCO Gary Steele as the 2025 AXIS Awards chairperson; reveals Creative Council for 2025/26

August 16 2024, 12:11 pm | BY Ricki Green | No Comments
The Comms Council announces DDB Aotearoa CCO Gary Steele as the 2025 AXIS Awards chairperson; reveals Creative Council for 2025/26

The Comms Council has announce that Gary Steele, chief creative officer of DDB New Zealand, has been appointed as the chairperson for the 2025 AXIS Awards. With a commitment to further elevating the prestige, respect, and mana of the AXIS Awards, Steele has created a newly selected Creative Council, bringing together representatives from both agencies and production companies.

 

The Council, working with The Comms Council and the chairperson, will play a pivotal role in ensuring the AXIS Awards continue to highlight and celebrate the best in Aotearoa’s creative industry. Each Council member will serve a two-year term, with changes being implemented for the 2025 event and a review scheduled for 2026.

The 2025/26 Creative Council consists of:

• Jordan Sky – Saatchi & Saatchi
• Kristal Knight – Ogilvy
• Leisa Wall – FCB
• Lisa Fedyszyn – Special
• Sam Stuchbury – Motion Sickness
• Simon Vicars – Colenso BBDO
• Bex Kelly – Finch
• George Mackenzie – Good Oil Films
• Matt von Trott – Assembly
• Tamara O’Neill – Liquid Studios
• Nigel Mortimer – Blockhead VFX
• Sharlene George – The Sweetshop

Preparations are already underway with a thorough analysis process currently taking place. The two-year term enables the Creative Council to review every aspect of the Awards programme and show and build on the changes instigated by Josh Moore in 2024.

Steele has 26 years of global experience across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Australasia. Throughout his career, he has achieved over 400 international accolades, the most notable being the coveted D&AD Black Pencil and has helped lead DDB Aotearoa to numerous Agency Of The Year titles, including AXIS Agency Of The Year multiple times, as well as winning New Zealand Agency Of The Year four years in a row at the Spikes Festival of Creativity.

Says Steele: “AXIS is the ultimate creative award you can win in Aotearoa. It is our highlight show, showcasing our best talent behind our best work. AXIS should build our industry with everyone in it and prepare us to compete on the global stage. I am honoured to take on the role of chairperson, and I look forward to working with the Creative Council to ensure that the 2025 AXIS Awards continue to shine a light on our industry and make AXIS mean more to everyone involved.”