AUCKLAND, Today: While the global creative industry is busy merging, renaming and generally making people check the org chart twice, Hamilton’s King St Advertising is taking a steadier path.
The independent full-service agency says it has delivered 20% year-on-year growth by staying nimble and moving to a more collaborative, cross-functional client model.
Now owner Chris Williams is setting up King St’s next chapter, appointing three senior team members into a new leadership team.
Robyn Henwood has been appointed Chief Executive, James Cleary becomes Chief Creative Officer, and Kwan Ng steps into the Chief Operating Officer role.
Together, the trio will help guide the agency’s future direction across strategy, creative and delivery.
Williams, who has led King St for 27 years, retains full ownership and remains actively involved, shifting from daily operations into mentoring and business development.
“For me personally, this leadership change isn’t about stepping back. This change is about setting King St up for the next era and empowering three proven leaders who already operate in lockstep. I’ve always loved working with clients and team members and this will never change.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all system in this business. But what will be consistent is how closely our team works together to build the best client solutions.”– Chris Williams, Owner of King St Advertising
“We’ve always worked collaboratively, and this new agency structure makes that our foundation. Clients will see direct involvement from all three leaders and their respective teams, as we continue to evolve to meet their changing needs.”
Williams says clients are already seeing the benefits of having experienced strategic leaders working closely together. “With AI and other new technologies being incorporated into our day-to-day work, human-led insights remain even more crucial to the creative solutions we deliver.
Having Robyn, James and Kwan working collaboratively in these strategic roles will ensure King St is ready to tackle the new challenges our clients throw our way.”
Williams says King St’s longevity comes down to its people and culture. “From day one of owning King St, I’ve wanted this to be a place where people love coming to work. And I think for the most part we’ve achieved that. Over half the team the been here for five year or more.
“The stability of our team has allowed us all to grow together, leverage each other’s strengths and have a lot of fun doing it. At the end of the day, our clients benefit from the culture we’ve fostered.”
Williams says the agency’s smaller size is a strength, with an ambitious team bringing experience from major global brands.
Together, the new leadership trio will bring strategy, creativity and delivery into the room earlier, while keeping the flexibility King St is known for.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all system in this business,” says Williams. “But what will be consistent is how closely our team works together to build the best client solutions.”
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