Stephen de Wolf returns to Clemenger BBDO as National Chief Creative Officer

Clemenger BBDO Australia has appointed Stephen de Wolf as National Chief Creative Officer, marking a powerful homecoming for one of Australia’s most awarded and respected creative leaders.

De Wolf, most recently Chief Creative Officer at BMF, brings with him a global track record of award-winning creativity and a deep connection to the Clemenger BBDO brand.

Says Stephen McArdle, CEO, BMF: “Wolfie is a great creative leader who has helped us maintain the positive momentum we’ve built up at BMF in his short time with us. We’re disappointed he won’t be here to write the next chapter, but we wish him nothing but the best, as he takes on the challenge at Clemenger in three months’ time.

“Fortunately for us, we have an incredible creative department packed with world-class talent and strong creative leadership already in place. And as we move into a period of significant growth, we’ll be focused on enhancing that creative leadership with talent that shares our belief in enduring ideas that drive marketing effectiveness and fame for our incredible clients and their brands.”

De Wolf returns to the agency where he produced some of the most defining work of his career, including the iconic ‘Meet Graham’ campaign for the Transport Accident Commission – one of the most awarded campaigns in the world.

“This is the agency that defined me. Now I get to be part of the team redefining it,” says de Wolf. “Coming back feels like coming home to the place where I’ve done some of my most meaningful work, with people who believe in creativity’s power to move culture and drive results.”

De Wolf will partner closely with CEO Lee Leggett to lead the agency’s next chapter. His appointment comes as Clemenger BBDO doubles down on its ambition to deliver end-to-end creativity and measurable business impact under its new ‘Do Big Things’ positioning.

“Wolfie’s return is more than a hire – it’s a statement,” says Leggett. “He’s not just a world-class creative. He’s someone who knows the heart of this agency and believes in what we’re building. His leadership will help shape the Clemenger of tomorrow.”

Across a career spanning more than two decades, de Wolf has earned a reputation not just for breakthrough ideas, but for forging deep client partnerships that deliver results. He has led some of Australia’s most high-profile campaigns in recent years for McDonald’s, Volkswagen, Coles, Porsche and Westpac. Earlier in his career, he was behind acclaimed work for TAC, Mars, Airbnb and Myer – campaigns that helped Clemenger BBDO become the first Australian agency to be named the most creative in the world at both D&AD and Cannes Lions.

De Wolf has held senior creative roles across Australia, New Zealand and the UK, including leadership positions at DDB Australia as National CCO and Global Creative Council member; Smith Street as CCO (a bespoke Omnicom agency created to meet the modern needs of one of Australia’s biggest retailers); BBH London as Partner, CCO and Global Creative Board member; and Clemenger BBDO Melbourne as CCO. His portfolio spans global brands including Samsung, Burger King, Tesco, Western Union, Barclays, Audi, Volkswagen, Pernod Ricard, Perfetti and Airbnb.

His work has received some of the industry’s highest honours for both creativity and effectiveness, including a D&AD Black Pencil, multiple Cannes Lions Grand Prix, and the title of the world’s top-ranked Creative Director on the Cannes Lions Global Creative Index.