AKQA has announced the promotion of Luciano Di Leonardo to Executive Technology Director for Australia, broadening his role across the company’s technology and engineering sectors.
In his new position, Di Leonardo will oversee AKQA Australia’s technology practice and engineering organization, directing technology strategy initiatives for clients. His responsibilities will include managing technical program delivery within AKQA’s Australian client portfolio and leading a diverse team comprised of solution architects, technical leads, delivery leads, and principal engineers.
A significant aspect of Di Leonardo’s expanded role will be to drive the agency’s transition toward AI-native development. This includes integrating agentic AI tools, modern engineering workflows, and new capability frameworks into AKQA’s practices.
Di Leonardo will report directly to Eric Orton, Chief Technology Officer for the Asia-Pacific region, and collaborate with Justine Leong, Managing Director of AKQA Australia, along with the broader executive leadership team that encompasses creative, strategic, experience design, and client services areas.
“AI is a once-in-a-generation inflection point. In much the same way the internet reshaped our industry 25 years ago, AI is changing how we create, engineer, and deliver experiences,” Di Leonardo stated. He emphasized his ambition to transform technology from a delivery partner to an invention partner, focusing on a people-led, AI-amplified approach that enhances the ingenuity and creativity of the teams he leads.
Di Leonardo has a tenure of over 15 years with AKQA, having played a pivotal role in technical strategy, enterprise architecture, and the advancement of engineering practices. His previous technology roles spanned industries in both Australia and the United Kingdom, including insurance and IT.
Throughout his career at AKQA, he has collaborated with notable clients such as AustralianSuper, Foodstuffs NZ, and Visit Victoria, overseeing projects in commerce, travel, government, and entertainment sectors. One of his key achievements includes leading the digital transformation of Country Road Group, where he managed a project to deploy 24 websites across four retail brands in just 240 seconds.
Di Leonardo also established AKQA’s 24/7 Managed Services support operation, enhancing the company’s enterprise tooling and service level agreement frameworks. He has mentored and developed over 100 technology specialists during his career.
“Luciano has been at the heart of every major transformation in our business over the last 15 years,” said Eric Orton. He praised Di Leonardo’s leadership, technical expertise, and dedication, highlighting the profound changes AI will bring to the industry. Orton expressed his enthusiasm for Di Leonardo’s guidance as the team navigates this new phase.
Looking ahead, Di Leonardo aims to create a clear vision for the technology practice at AKQA, fostering an environment where top talent can thrive and achieve significant work in their careers.
