BMF lands creative heavyweight Scott Nowell as chair

BMF has appointed Droga5 co-founder Scott Nowell as creative chair, marking one of the most significant senior creative hires in the Australian agency market this year.

The newly created role will see Nowell lead the agency’s creative output across a portfolio of major brands, working alongside executive creative directors David Fraser and Tom Hoskins.

The appointment signals BMF’s intent to strengthen its creative leadership as agencies compete to deliver both effectiveness and standout work in a challenging market.

Nowell brings more than two decades of experience, having co-founded The Monkeys in 2004, which later became Droga5 Australia. As chief creative officer, he led work for brands including Telstra, Qantas, NRMA and MLA.

His portfolio includes globally recognised campaigns such as the Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning Play It Safe for the Sydney Opera House and The First Digital Nation for Tuvalu.

More recently, Nowell was inducted into the AWARD Hall of Fame, recognising his contribution to the industry and long-standing influence on Australian creativity. Alongside his agency work, he has also played a key role in developing emerging talent, co-leading the AWARD Creative Leadership course for the past decade.

BMF CEO Stephen McArdle said the hire would add further momentum to the agency’s creative output.

“Scotty’s work and creative leadership has been industry defining over the last two decades,” he said.

Nowell said the opportunity to join BMF was driven by its culture and commitment to creativity as a commercial driver.

“BMF is a rare place where strong culture meets high performance, full of excellent people totally committed to the idea of creativity as a powerful business lever," he said. "I’m looking forward to helping raise an already high bar to a new level for ourselves and our clients, old and new.”

The move comes as agencies place renewed focus on creative leadership and long-term brand building, with senior talent once again becoming a key battleground across the sector.