It’s the end of an era for David Droga–and for the ad industry.
This week, Droga announced that come September he would be stepping down as CEO of Accenture Song. It’s a move that allows the 56-year-old Droga to pull back from the day-to-day grind of running the business and, as he put it in the company’s release, “catch his breath.” He isn’t fully retiring, though, as he’ll become vice chair of Accenture.
The news of Droga’s departure isn’t just a matter of Accenture C-Suite’s moving chairs. Droga is a creative luminary in advertising who set a blueprint for being a successful business leader while also proving his creative prowess, according to Mo Said, founder of agency Mojo Supermarket and former Droga5 creative.
For creatives who’ve worked with Droga, what made him such an influential figure wasn’t a cult of personality but his creative leadership style.
“David was always able to see the potential of where an idea could be pushed to–that’s a very unique strength,” said Jonny Bauer, founder and CEO of creative consultancy FundamentalCo and former Droga5 global chief strategy officer. “Creatives love working for him because he’s very clear, decisive, and calm.”
As Droga prepares for his next chapter, ADWEEK looks back on his achievements across business and creative leadership. This isn’t an exhaustive list–Droga has too storied a career for that–but rather five notable career milestones.
Droga5’s sale to Accenture and Droga’s ascension
Ahead of Droga5’s sale to Accenture in 2019, fear of consultancies encroaching on agencies’ turf loomed large in the industry. At the time of the sale, questions about what it meant for the future of Droga5’s creative business and where a legend like Droga would fit at a consultancy were common.
Droga promised to “stay relevant.” He nabbed creative veteran Nick Law from Apple, who is now taking on the role of creative strategy and experience lead at Accenture Song. In 2021, he assumed the role of CEO of Accenture Song (then Accenture Interactive). During his four-year tenure, Song’s revenue climbed from $12.5 billion to $19 billion for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2024, according to the company.
That proven business sense from a creative leader will be chief among his legacies, according to Mojo Supermarket’s Said. It can be difficult for creatives who run businesses to navigate criticism from both the creative side (being seen as selling out) and the business side (a perceived lack of business chops), he observed.
