Designworks, one of New Zealand’s most celebrated brand design agencies, has secured two heavyweight senior appointments to accelerate the agency’s strategic and creative transformation.
Effective immediately, Anna Gregory joins as Head of Strategy and Vinesh Kumar steps into the role of Creative Director. Both will play a pivotal role in driving the next phase of Designworks’ growth, reporting to Megan D’Audney, who took the helm in February and has been actively reshaping the agency for a highly competitive, future-focused market.
New Zealand natives returning home, Anna and Vinesh bring formidable global pedigree to the agency; Anna recently returned from 15 years in the US, whilst Vinesh is fresh from major creative roles in London and New York. They have shaped brand strategy and creative outputs for some of the world’s most iconic clients.
Megan D’Audney, Managing Partner at Designworks, said of the appointments: “Our ambition has never been simply to keep pace, but to actively redefine what brand transformation looks like in this region. To do that, we need a calibre of talent that can challenge the status quo.
“Bringing Vinesh and Anna into our leadership fold is a massive coup. Their collective experience operating at the absolute highest levels in London, New York, Seattle and LA ecosystem brings a global perspective back home. Beyond their exceptional craft, they both share a relentless drive for high-impact, simplified storytelling.”
As Head of Strategy, Anna is tasked with driving strategic rigor across Designworks’ global and local client portfolios, utilising her extensive background as a lead creative strategist, spanning research, product design, and brand leadership for global giants including Starbucks, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon.
She said of her new role: “Having worked inside the tech design space in the US, I know that great creative work relies on incredibly sharp, fearless strategy. The ambition here at Designworks to bridge the gap between complex business strategy and beautiful customer experiences is exactly the kind of challenge I want to tackle. We are here to make an impact, and the energy in this team is incredibly exciting.”
A hands-on Creative Director, Vinesh has been tasked with actively shaping the agency’s creative output, blending complex global design systems with the rapid, commercial needs of the local market.
He said of joining Designworks: “I believe in building distinctive, enduring brand systems through tight, highly collaborative, and hungry teams. Designworks has an extraordinary legacy, but what excited me most about joining Megan and Anna is the vision for where we are taking the studio next.”
