M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment has appointed Jon Kelly to the newly created role of Creative Director.

With over 20 years’ experience, Kelly is an award-winning creative director that has worked across brand, digital and experiential in Sydney, Bangkok and London.

The role will see Kelly forming a potent partnership with recent hire, Duncan Shields and reporting directly to managing director Jamie Gilbert-Smith.

Gilbert-Smith said: “Jon brings a world-class creative pedigree in helping clients leverage sponsorships to deliver emotional and impactful brand messages and understanding. S&E’s creative force continues to be recognised as one of the most influential experiential and sponsorship agencies in the market –Jon is a significant step in taking this to the next level.

He continued: “Jon has played a defining role in shifting how some of Australia’s leading brands think. He brings an unmatched creative vision combined with an entrepreneurial spirit – with significant organic growth and new business wins it’s an exciting time for Jon to be joining us and taking us forward creatively.”

Kelly’s most acclaimed work includes Rethink Role Models, a game-changing partnership between the Australian Netball Diamonds and Samsung as well as his first work with S&E, ‘Levelling The Playing Field’, a CBA diversity initiative in women’s cricket.

On joining the S&E team, Kelly said: “With some of the biggest clients in Australia and the ambitions they’ve already shared, I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunities for great work that we have here. Too many sponsorships just badge a sponsorship. We showed what could be done with Samsung and Netball; the opportunity to shape culture and emotionally connect on a whole new level.”