Strategic design agency, Designworks – part of STW Group – has appointed branding and design industry heavyweight Brad Doble to the role of managing director, Australia. His appointment is effective immediately.

Doble returns to his native Australia to take up the role following a successful 20-year international career with some of the world’s leading consultancies including the UK’s Landor Associates and Siegel+ Gale in the UK. Most recently he held the position of managing director Munich, for Lambie-Nairn, prior to which he was executive client director, Lambie-Nairn London where he ran major client accounts including O2 and Direct Line insurance.

Designworks Group chairman Sven Baker said Doble would spearhead the continued growth and evolution of Designworks’ operations in Australia.

“Over the past 12 months both the Sydney and Melbourne studios have significantly enhanced their strategic innovation and customer experience design capability with the appointment of some key talent and new client partnerships,” he said.

“Identifying a strong leader aligned to our strategy and the rapidly changing client needs is key to our ongoing evolution and growth in the Australian market.

“It’s been an extensive search but patience has paid off. In Brad we’ve found a genuine design thinker who shares our passion for designing brilliant user-centered experiences. Brad’s return to Australia will be an exciting addition to the Sydney and Melbourne teams as he brings more than 20 years of invaluable experience in Europe, the Middle East and Asia to the business and our client relationships.

“His category experience is extremely broad and includes extensive acumen in creating and re-energizing brands in telecommunications, energy, aviation and destination branding, and the industrial, retail, professional and financial services sectors. His work has also received high recognition in the Benchmark Awards and Transform Awards in the United Kingdom.”

Doble said: “I admire the Designworks vision, approach to design innovation and its multi-disciplinary capability across both the physical and digital experience landscape. Its collaborative approach with clients and of course the endless pursuit of beautiful design that works appealed to me a great deal. I’ve been tempted back home a few times but after talking to Sven and the leadership teams in both offices, I knew the time and the opportunity was right. I can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Doble replaces Tim Riches who left the agency late in 2014.  Designworks, the region’s leading strategic design and customer experience practice with more than 140 staff in six locations across New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia, is part of the STW Group, Australasia’s leading marketing content and communications group.