Regional APAC CEO Luke Nathans leaves Iris after 12 years

Luke Nathans, regional CEO of Iris APAC, is leaving the agency after 12 years. The role will not be immediately replaced, with global CEO, Steve Bell, stepping in to take on duties in the region.

In his time at Iris, Nathans (pictured) has been responsible for building Iris’ capabilities throughout Asia Pacific. Among the list of brands Iris has worked with include Lego, Guinness, Samsung and FairPrice. According to the agency, Nathans was instrumental in driving growth in key areas such as integrated strategy, B2B and health care. He was also behind innovative new offerings in the tech and design space with the introduction of Liquorice and Dokio.

Last year, Nathans was also made global CEO of cultural assets at Iris. Nathans said his time at Iris has been an extraordinary ride. "I have worked with some of the smartest clients in the business and have been lucky enough to work alongside people far more talented than me. We have created some incredibly brave work, had some good times and hopefully made a difference to the brands and businesses we have partnered along the way," he said.

Nathans added that despite the shifts that the agency has experienced in the last 12 months, he has never felt more confident in the team and the business to continue to excite progress for its clients. With that in mind, he thinks there has never been a better time for him to move on.

Meanwhile, Bell added: “We are really grateful to Nathans for 12 years of incredible work at Iris. Nathans has been at the heart of some of our most progressive and creatively driven campaigns in his time with us. He leaves the agency in great shape and in very good hands and we wish him all the success he deserves in the next chapter of his career.”