Rob Harvey has spent his career moving between creative and media agencies, starting out at Saatchi & Saatchi before eventually landing the top job at Dentsu ANZ. He now leads hundreds of people across Australia and New Zealand at a business that has undergone rapid change, including consolidating its media agencies under the ‘Dentsu’ brand.
In this week’s Fast 10, B&T’s Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham and Rob Harvey delved into his leadership philosophy and why tough times are a team sport.
1. You’ve had a brilliant career, from your early days at Saatchi & Saatchi, to a great mix of media & creative agencies, to now the CEO of Australia & NZ. If you had to pick only one, what would be your career highlight so far?
Rob Harvey: I’ve been incredibly fortunate to lead the Dentsu Aotearoa team for over a decade. Growing and evolving that business was a formative chapter for me and really shaped my belief in authentic, people-first leadership. I learnt more from that period than any other in my career, largely because of the people around me and the journey we shared.
If I had to pick one highlight though, it’s the role I’m in right now. It’s a real privilege to lead Dentsu across Australia and New Zealand as we shape the next chapter of the business. There’s enormous opportunity ahead, and we’re only just getting started.
2. Congrats, you have been in your new role for 10 months. How do you juggle your responsibilities/priorities on both sides of the ditch?
RH: It’s the people around me that make the juggle possible.
At home, I’m incredibly lucky to have the support of my wife, who somehow manages to hold everything together while also running her own career.
At Dentsu, it’s very much a team effort. I have deep confidence in the leaders around me and trust them to get on with the job. We have an amazing team in New Zealand, which has meant I’ve been able to focus more of my time in Australia without the NZ business missing a beat.
The weekly travel is real, but it’s worth it.
3. How would you describe your leadership style & do you subscribe to the saying, ” When times get tough, the tough get going?”
RH: I would say my style is people-first, open, and grounded.
I don’t really subscribe to the idea that “when times get tough, the tough get going”. For me, it’s not about individual toughness, it’s about togetherness.
That doesn’t mean standing still. You still have to act, make decisions, inspire people, and keep moving forward with intent. But you do that as a team, with honesty, hunger, and gratitude for the effort everyone is putting in.
That’s what gets you through tough times and builds momentum.
4. As a young boy, what did you want to be when you grew up?
RH: A magician. In a lot of ways, our industry isn’t that different. The best work has a bit of magic to it, bringing together creativity, technology and human insight in a way that feels effortless on the surface, but has real depth of craft underneath.
5. Your six-fold growth of the business in NZ was sensational. Can you identify one factor that drove that success?
RH: In New Zealand there’s a Māori whakataukī (proverb) that says: He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people. It is people. It is people.
That belief sat at the heart of everything we did.
6. As an industry, in advertising/marketing, what’s one thing you would change to make us all better?
RH: I think we need more belief and optimism as an industry.
My observation across much of our industry commentary lately is that we are starting to talk ourselves into a negative narrative, a lot of noise around disruption and decline. Periods of change are not new, but I feel that’s when this industry redefines itself and does its best work.
We should be leaning into this opportunity with confidence, not reinforcing the pessimistic voices. There’s a huge amount of great work happening, and that’s what we should be celebrating and talking about.
7. In tough times, leadership can be more challenging. What’s needed most during times of change, restructure & transformation?
RH: Communication, clarity, conviction, and care.
Communicate early and often, because silence creates noise. Be clear on what’s changing and the reasons why. Have absolute conviction in the direction and act decisively. And care deeply, because people react to change in very human ways and these moments land differently for everyone.
Get those four things right, and you build trust. And trust is what carries a team through change
8. What’s the best career advice you’ve been given?
RH: Never burn a bridge. Our industry is very small and people have long memories.
9. What’s one thing that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
RH: I’m obsessed with boxing, both as a spectator and as a workout. I’ve just clocked over my one thousandth class. To be clear, I’ve never actually punched anyone, but a boxing bag is a very effective stress release.
10. Important last question: Do your parents really know what you do?
RH: My dad has a pretty good idea. As a television producer and executive, he at least understands how the media industry works.
My mum, I’m not so sure. She usually just asks whether I “made that ad?”.
What I do know is that they’re both very proud.
