Simon Lee resurfaces at Enigma as chief creative officer and partner

Less than a week after leaving The Hallway, Simon Lee has been named chief creative officer and partner at independent full-service agency Enigma.

Lee takes the creative helm of the agency’s 80-strong team across Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane as Enigma enters an ambitious new phase in its 30-year history. His appointment follows a six-month executive search, with the agency tapping him to drive its next stage of creative growth. Lee will be the agency’s first CCO and the first leader to join as a partner.

Enigma founder and director Lisa Sutton Gardner said Lee’s appointment signals the agency’s creative ambitions.

“Simon’s appointment is indicative of the scale of our creative ambition and our commitment to achieving it,” Sutton Gardner said. “His breadth and depth of experience, unique creative voice, and proven commercial and leadership acumen mean that our clients and our people are in very good hands.”

Lee, who spent more than a decade at The Hallway, was instrumental in shaping its reputation as one of Australia’s leading independent agencies. Under his leadership, The Hallway won seven agency of the year titles and took home multiple creative awards, including Australia and New Zealand’s only Design Lion at Cannes in 2024.

He said his move to Enigma is driven by the agency’s potential and its approach to creativity in an evolving media and business landscape.

“With our industry and our clients’ businesses changing at ever-increasing pace, it’s essential to keep evolving the definition of what great creativity means,” Lee said. “That’s what attracted me to Enigma—the opportunity to shape a creative offering that’s grounded in timeless truth but connects with the relevance of right here, right now.

“The agency feels like a tinderbox that’s primed to catch fire, and I’m excited at the prospect of helping to spark the flames.”

Lee’s arrival follows a string of leadership changes at Enigma, including the appointment of Joanna Lilley as managing director, Sydney, and the promotions of Justin Ladmore to chief media officer and Amy Dascanio to managing director of Enigma Media.