The landscape of the Australian and New Zealand advertising industry is undergoing a notable leadership transition as Barbara Humphries, co-chief creative officer of Droga5 ANZ, prepares to step down from her role. Her departure marks the end of a remarkable 14-year tenure with the agency—having originally joined when the firm operated under its former and highly celebrated banner, The Monkeys—and represents a significant turning point for the agency’s creative division following its recent global rebrand under Accenture Song.
Humphries leaves behind a towering legacy defined by some of the most awarded, culturally resonant campaigns produced in the Asia-Pacific region over the past decade. Her exit initiates a period of reflection and strategic realignment for Droga5 ANZ as the agency navigates its post-merger identity under the leadership of co-CCO Damon Stapleton and the broader global Accenture Song network.
A Storied Journey: From Vogue Australia to Creative CCO
Barbara Humphries’ career in the creative industries spans more than two decades, beginning far away from traditional agency boardrooms as a junior art director at Vogue Australia. This early immersion in editorial design, visual storytelling, and aesthetic precision laid a strong foundation for a career characterized by artistic rigor and conceptual boldness.
Seeking broader international exposure, Humphries transitioned into agency life, building an impressive resume that included significant creative stints at high-profile shops such as Publicis Mojo Melbourne and Wieden+Kennedy London. These foundational roles allowed her to hone her craft on major global brands, developing an intuitive understanding of how to balance high-concept art direction with consumer-facing commercial impact.
However, it was her move in 2012 to join The Monkeys—then an independent Australian agency renowned for its rebellious spirit and disruptive creative output—that truly defined her professional trajectory. Over the next twelve years, Humphries evolved alongside the agency, contributing extensively to its growth from a boutique Sydney shop into one of the most dominant creative powerhouses in the Southern Hemisphere.
Her progression within the agency was steady and well-earned. In 2022, she was appointed executive creative director, a role in which she helped steer the creative output through a period of immense industry disruption, technological shifts, and changing consumer behaviors. Following a strategic corporate restructuring that saw Tara Ford relocate to London to assume the role of chief creative officer at Droga5 London, Humphries was elevated to co-chief creative officer in April 2024, sharing the creative helm alongside Damon Stapleton. Just months later, in December 2024, The Monkeys officially dropped its historic moniker to rebrand under the global Droga5 banner, aligning the ANZ operations more closely with Accenture Song’s international creative network.
Award-Winning Creative Leadership and Industry Recognition
During her tenure at the agency, Humphries was the driving force behind some of the most celebrated and globally recognized campaigns in recent advertising history. Her creative leadership was central to The Monkeys’ historic Cannes Lions triumphs, cementing the agency’s reputation on the world stage.
Among her most notable achievements was her leadership role in the Government of Tuvalu’s landmark campaign, The First Digital Nation. The project, designed to address the existential threat of climate change and rising sea levels by creating a digital replica of the island nation, captivated international juries and took out the prestigious Dan Wieden Titanium Lions Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2023.
Building on this momentum, Humphries played a pivotal role in the Sydney Opera House’s Play It Safe campaign, which secured the Film Lions Grand Prix the following year. This campaign also etched its name into advertising history at the ANDY Awards in 2024 by becoming the first-ever winner of the Best In Show Craft award, an unprecedented achievement that underscored Humphries’ meticulous attention to production excellence and narrative execution.
Her influence extended far beyond the campaigns she directly oversaw. Humphries has been a dedicated contributor to the broader creative community, serving for nearly seven years on the AWARD Council until 2024. Her expertise has also made her a sought-after voice on global festival juries. In recent years, she has judged the world’s most prestigious creative competitions, including D&AD, Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Clios, The One Show, LIA, and AWARD. Furthermore, she served as jury president for Spikes Asia 2026, D&AD 2026, One Show 2025, AWARD, and Shots, cementing her status as a global authority on creative excellence.
Industry accolades reflect her standing at the very pinnacle of the profession. Humphries was ranked the number one executive creative director in the Asia-Pacific region in The One Show’s Global Creative Rankings and was named joint AWARD Creative Leader of the Year in 2024. Additionally, her sustained influence and leadership within the sector have been recognized through her inclusion on the Women in Media Power List for three consecutive years.
Implications and the Future of Droga5 ANZ
The departure of a co-chief creative officer of Humphries’ caliber inevitably brings strategic implications for Droga5 ANZ. Her exit arrives during a critical transitional phase for the agency as it solidifies its integration into the global Droga5 ecosystem following the 2024 rebrand.
While leadership transitions in creative agencies often spark concerns regarding continuity and client retention, Droga5 ANZ remains anchored by co-CCO Damon Stapleton and a robust bench of senior creative talent nurtured during Humphries’ tenure. The agency has built a resilient creative culture capable of weathering structural shifts, yet the search for or reallocation of leadership responsibilities will be closely watched by industry observers and brand partners alike.
For the broader Australian advertising market, Humphries’ departure prompts questions about her next professional chapter. Given her track record of turning ambitious, culturally significant ideas into award-winning global phenomena, her next move is anticipated to be a major talking point within the international creative community. Whether she chooses to take on a new regional leadership role, consult for global networks, or explore entrepreneurial ventures, her impact on Australian advertising—marked by a relentless pursuit of groundbreaking, socially impactful creative work—will continue to resonate for years to come.
