Why APAC Agencies Are Racing to Elevate AI to C-Suite
Dentsu ANZ creates first dedicated Chief Data and Technology Officer role, signaling how Asia-Pacific agencies are restructuring to compete on AI capabilities.
Dentsu ANZ has appointed Danica Bellchambers, formerly Nine Entertainment's Head of AI Product, to a newly created Chief Data and Technology Officer role. She joins the agency's executive leadership team on May 11.
The appointment marks the first time Dentsu ANZ has elevated data and AI to a dedicated C-suite position, placing it alongside creative, media, and operations at the highest level of the organization.
A New Executive Role Built Around AI and Data
Bellchambers will be responsible for building what Dentsu ANZ describes as "a more connected and cohesive data, technology and AI strategy" across the business.
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Before her year at Nine Entertainment, where she led the company's AI product strategy, Bellchambers spent three years at Clemenger BBDO and Chep as Executive Director of Data Science and Analytics. That combination of publisher-side AI experience and agency operations background was central to the hire.
"Danica is exactly the leader we need at this moment," said Rob Harvey, CEO of Dentsu ANZ. "Her appointment is about accelerating that momentum and connecting our capability more deeply across the organisation."
Bellchambers said she is "excited to architect a high-performance data and AI strategy, using the strength of our global capabilities to deliver high-impact, local results."
The Hire Sits Inside a Broader Leadership Restructure
The CDTO appointment is one of several executive changes at Dentsu ANZ in recent months. The agency also recently formalized David Halter as Chief Practice Officer of Dentsu Creative Australia and Vanessa Nicol as Chief Operating Officer of Dentsu ANZ.
These moves follow the departure of Fiona Johnston from a combined CEO of client, media, and commercial role. Harvey described the restructure as creating "a simpler and more competitive business by removing duplication for faster, clearer operations."
The ANZ changes mirror a wider global restructure at Dentsu, effective March 27, 2026. That restructure eliminated the Global COO and Global President roles while retaining Shirli Zelcer as Global Chief Data and Technology Officer, confirming the CDTO title as a consistent designation across both global and regional Dentsu entities.
Global Cuts Provide Backdrop for ANZ Investment
Dentsu's global restructuring program has included approximately 3,400 job cuts, representing 8% of its international workforce. The company is also consolidating its international legal entities to approximately 500.
Against that backdrop, the creation of a net-new C-suite data and AI role in ANZ carries added weight. It signals that data and AI capability is being treated as a protected investment, not a cost reduction target.
At the Asia Pacific level, Yuichi Toyoda took over as CEO of Dentsu Asia Pacific on January 1, 2026. A 30-plus year company veteran, Toyoda previously led Dentsu's global business transformation practice, with market experience across India, Thailand, and China. His appointment establishes a transformation-focused regional leadership layer that Bellchambers' ANZ mandate will operate within.
Harvey framed the CDTO hire as an acceleration of existing work, not a course correction. "We're already doing great work across data, technology and AI," he said. "Her appointment is about scaling what we're doing well and delivering even greater value for our clients."
Bellchambers' confirmed start date is May 11.
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