Tara Ford Strengthens Droga5 London Creative Leadership with 4 Senior Hires

​Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, has kicked off the new year with a major injection of creative firepower, announcing four new appointments hand-picked by chief creative officer, Tara Ford.

The hires, creative directors James Leake, Jackson Byrne and award-winning team Holly Georgious and Lawrence Slater, mark Tara’s continued focus on building a world-class creative department in London. Together, they bring deep international experience, sharp cultural instinct and a shared ambition to make influential work that drives real impact for clients.

Tara Ford, chief creative officer at Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, said, “It’s an exciting moment for the agency to welcome such a talented and interesting group of diverse creative thinkers ready to kick down the doors. James and Jackson direct from New York and Canada, and homegrown Holly and Lawrence join us with a phenomenal mix of experience, skill, and ambition. Starting the year with talent like this sets the tone for where we’re headed.”

James Leake joins from Mischief, relocating from New York where he helped shape some of the agency’s most talked-about work including Pizza Hut, Tinder & Goldfish. Prior to that, he held creative roles at BBDO and DDB across Toronto, London and New York, bringing deep international experience back to the UK.

James said, “Droga5 has a global reputation for creativity of the highest standard. I’m excited to join the London team and make more of the brave, culturally relevant work that’s needed in the industry today.”

Jackson Byrne arrives after five years at Rethink in Toronto, where he created award-winning campaigns for Coors Light, IKEA and Taco Bell, adding more than a decade of culturally driven brand experience as he relocates to London.

Jackson said, “Droga5 has always represented ambition, influence and high craft. Joining the London office is an incredible opportunity to push ideas further and make work that gets talked about.”

Award winning creative team Holly Georgious and Lawrence Slater arrive after four years at Saatchi & Saatchi, where they developed culturally resonant campaigns, including headline-grabbing work for Waitrose, earning national coverage and broad recognition across retail, lifestyle and culture-first brands.

Holly and Lawrence said, “With Tara’s creative leadership, it’s an exciting time for Droga5 London. A great moment to join and help drive the next wave of work.”

The four creative appointments will report directly into Tara Ford, further strengthening Droga5 London’s commitment to global creative talent as the agency enters 2026 with renewed momentum and a sharpened ambition to make work that matters creatively, culturally and commercially.