TBWA\Australia has appointed former BBDO New York head of brand experience Ben Nilsen as chief strategy officer, marking his return home after a decade working in the US.
Nilsen has joined the agency after a stint at BBDO New York, where he led brand experience, following two years in the same role at FCB New York.
His New York career also included six and a half years at Droga5, where he helped establish and scale a global media practice that was later integrated into Accenture Song. He subsequently became the agency’s head of media strategy before moving into brand experience. Nilsen will succeed Michael Hogg who departed TBWA\Australia in June.
His return to TBWA brings him back together with Sydney managing director Blake Crosbie, with whom he previously worked at Droga5 New York.
His recent work has spanned brand experience, media and strategy across a broad range of categories. At BBDO, he contributed to work with Pringles and its work featuring Sabrina Carpenter.
His wider portfolio has included work for brands such as Meta, Lululemon, Airbnb, Spotify, Hyundai and Atlassian.
The appointment comes as TBWA\Australia continues to build out its senior leadership and creative offering. Earlier this year, the agency launched ‘The Sunburnt Car’, using synthetic skin across a car interior to highlight the risks of sun exposure which won two Cannes Lions this year.
“Home and starting a new gig! Thrilled to be diving in as CSO at TBWA\Australia. Thank you to Nick Garrett and Kimberlee Wells for the opportunity. Excited to make some amazing work with the legends in Sydney and be reunited with Blake Crosbie,” said Nilsen in a post to Linkedin.
