With a career that began at the height of the first dot-com boom, Brian Vella has spent more than two decades shaping the future of digital commerce and customer experience. Now chief executive of Asia Pacific at AKQA, Vella leads a network of over 2,100 professionals across 22 international studios.
His passion for innovation and people-first leadership has helped deliver game-changing work for brands like Nike, Bunnings, and Tennis Australia. From earning recognition as the AFR’s Most Innovative Company to championing inclusive technology and building trusted long-term client partnerships, Vella brings a unique blend of creativity, commercial acumen, and humility to everything he does.
B&T’s own Sparrow sat down with Vella to talk career highlights, industry challenges, and why his mum still isn’t quite sure what he does.
1. You’ve had a brilliant career working across multiple markets, particularly in APAC. If you had to pick only one, what would be your career highlight so far?
Vella: Being named the Most Innovative Company in our industry by the AFR. This was judged not only on the incredible Action Audio project we did with Tennis Australia (helping blind and low visual people experience sport), though on the level of innovation running throughout our company. A great reward for our team and helpful validation that propels us forward.
2. You have been at the forefront of e-commerce for 20+ years. What’s today’s biggest e-commerce challenge that clients must master?
Vella: Finding the right balance between utility and differentiation. E-commerce has become core for so many businesses, and today most organisations have access to the same technologies and methodologies. Creating something that performs strongly and is unique is more difficult, and that’s precisely where we come in to help.
3. AKQA fuels an innovative culture. How do you continually drive and nurture that culture?
Vella: We value strategy, creative, design, and technology equally. When this occurs and the teams truly collaborate, the sparks start to fly. We work hard to ensure everyone feels valued and included.
4. Speaking of innovation, you recently hired Tara McKenty as ECD. How do you continue to attract such outstanding talent?
Vella: Credit goes to our regional creative leader, Tim Devine. He not only spotted Tara’s talent but found connection they were both excited by. We have a leadership flywheel with decades of momentum: new talent is naturally drawn to its energy and stability.
5. I love the scope in your blue-chip client list—from Bunnings to Nike. How do you cater to such diversity?
Vella: While each client’s needs are unique, we apply the same creativity and growth mindset. Anything we do aims to create a step change in customer or brand experience, and that broadly benefits every industry.
6. As an industry, what’s one thing you would change to make us all better?
Vella: The pitching process. We create and then give away a tremendous amount of value. I’m not aware of any other industry that does so.
7. Your agency’s work has garnered many global and local awards. How important are they to clients?
Vella: Awards typically reflect something new, special, or unique, which builds confidence. Since we exist to serve our clients, that recognition matters to us as well.
8. AKQA’s client retention is impressive. In tough times, how do you further grow those vital client relationships?
Vella: High performance is built on high-performing teams, which is built on high trust cultures. We put trust at the centre of our relationships, treating our clients’ businesses as if they were our own. This approach has led to partnerships like 18 years with Bunnings locally, and over 30 years with Nike internationally.
9. What’s one thing that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
Vella: My golf obsession.
10. Important last question: Do your parents know what you do?
Vella: Not really. If my mum had to describe my job for more than 15 seconds, she’d probably struggle.
