R/GA hires Prue Jones and Ben Yabsley to lead creative transformation in Australia

R/GA has named Prue Jones as national executive creative director, experience design, with Ben Yabsley signing on as national executive creative director, as the agency sharpens its focus on creative leadership and AI-enabled brand transformation.

The dual appointments mark a shift in R/GA’s Australian leadership team, following the departure of chief creative officer Seamus Higgins, who returned to London for personal reasons.

Jones (pictured), previously design and creative director at Accenture Song, brings extensive experience in creative strategy, digital and service design and AI-led transformation across sectors including government, retail and tech. A long-time advocate for inclusive design, she is also co-creator of the global initiative ‘Never Not International Women’s Day’.

Yabsley returns to R/GA after his most recent role as group creative director at Dentsu Creative New York. Known for work spanning Super Bowl campaigns, Twitch-native content and large-scale branded experiences, his creative leadership has earned recognition at Cannes Lions, D&AD and The Webbys.

“Prue and Ben bring the energy and creative ambition that reflects the direction we’re taking as a business,” Victoria Curro, managing director, R/GA Australia, said. “We’re building a leadership team with the vision and versatility to lead through change.”

Jones said R/GA’s independence and culture of reinvention made the opportunity hard to ignore.

“While a lot of agencies keep repackaging the past and calling it innovation, R/GA knows true future impact comes from inimitable talent, sharp AI plays, a killer client roster, and unbridled creativity as the red thread through it all,” she said.

Yabsley added: “I can’t think of a better place to be for the upcoming advertising revolution, in a country that values ideas above all else, and at an agency with reinvention baked into its DNA.”

The new hires join Curro and executive strategy director Marie Conley on R/GA’s national leadership team and will work closely with APAC leaders including chief design officer Ben Miles, chief technology officer Guill Rodas, global executive director of AI products Ben Cooper, and APAC CEO Michael Titshall.