Huge names new global CEO as Mat Baxter steps down

Creative consultancy Huge has named Lisa De Bonis (pictured) as its new global CEO as its former CEO, Mat Baxter, steps down after just under three years in the role.  

"Three years ago, I joined Huge to help build a new type of creative business - one that seamlessly brings together experience design and innovation to deliver real world results for our clients," said Bonis in a LinkedIn update. 

"Today, I am honored and excited to take the next step in that journey as the new global CEO for Huge, a company I care very deeply about," she added. 

Don't miss: Mastercard picks new VP of integrated marcomms for SEA

Bonis has been with Huge since 2021 where she joined as global chief experience officer. After a year in the post, she stepped up to global chief product and growth officer before being named global CEO.

Prior to her stint at Huge, Bonis was the managing director, European lead for EXR at Accenture Interactive. A role she held for about three years. She was also previously with Havas London as its executive digital director and partner. 

"Bonis has helped lead Huge’s transformation by launching AI-powered products and tools such as Huge LIVE and the Creative Capital Index. With a digital-first mindset and global experience, she's set to guide us and our clients to the next stage of growth," said Huge in a statement.

Bonis takes on the role from Baxter who stepped down in tandem. Prior to his three-year stint as global CEO at Huge, Baxter spent 5 years at Initiative as global CEO. Prior to that, he was the global chief strategy and creative officer at IPG Mediabrands. He has also held top leadership roles at UM Worldwide, MediaCom, Naked Communications and Maxus in his extensive career. 

Baxter's move comes just over a year after Huge pulled out of Singapore and Japan in November 2022. The move was confirmed to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE by the IPG owned agency at the time.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE understood that there were approximately 30 staff members in Singapore and less than 10 in Japan that were impacted by the process. Several staff members were also absorbed into work for the Vietnam office, which is servicing Asia markets, and being grown into a tech hub, said the sources.

When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out to Huge at the time, the company affirmed that they were recalibrating its APAC strategy to focus more on technology talent as part of a global technology delivery capability across North America, LATAM, and APAC.

The APAC region was previously run by global president Martin Riley who led the team from 2014 until its closure.

Related articles: 
Spurwing Communications names new director 
Mondelez names new SEA vice president of marketing 
Johnson & Johnson names new Vision Care marketing lead for 4 regions