Sydney. May 20, 2026 — Leading independent brand consultancy, Houston Group, has appointed Amanda Szylo Duncan as Chief Strategy Officer. The appointment further strengthens Houston’s executive leadership and deepens its strategic capability as client demand for sophisticated, commercially grounded brand solutions continues to grow.
Szylo Duncan joins following nearly eight years at global brand consultancy Interbrand, where she served in the joint role of Managing Director and Head of Strategy. She brings close to two decades of experience helping brands navigate complex change, with a client portfolio spanning local and global organisations including Coles, Persol Group, Westpac, AMP Capital, HUB24 Group, NRI, Allianz and Minor Hotels.
In her new role, Szylo Duncan leads Houston’s strategy team and works closely with founder and CEO Stuart O’Brien to continue to add to the agency’s strategic excellence and direction. She is widely regarded for building high-performing teams, delivering commercial impact, and fostering cultures where people and clients thrive.
Stuart O’Brien, founder and CEO of Houston Group, said: “Amanda has long been one of the most respected strategists in the market, and someone we’ve had the pleasure of going up against more than once. That kind of healthy competition builds real respect, and I’ve admired her work for years. Bringing her into Houston and working alongside her as a peer as CSO feels like such an exciting step – for her, for us, and for our clients.”
Szylo Duncan said: “I’ve admired Houston from afar for years. The people here are talented, generous, and genuinely committed to each other, the clients and the work. I’m looking forward to working alongside Stu, Cara and Chloe as we continue to shape and strengthen the strategy offering. And getting to join Alex Creamer & Alex Toohey in the creative team again is the icing on the cake.
“A lot is changing in our industry but helping clients navigate increasingly complex business challenges that’s the constant. The depth of relationship and the calibre of problems Houston gets brought in to solve is genuinely inspiring for a strategist. I’m excited for what this next chapter holds, for the team and the clients we get to do it with.”
Szylo Duncan joins an expanding strategy function that includes Executive Strategy Director Cara Meade, based in Melbourne, and Strategy Director Chloe Jensen, who joined in October 2025. Jensen brings over a decade of experience at DesignStudio (now Further), Moving Brands, and Designworks across London and Auckland, leading multi-market brand transformation projects for clients including Virgin, Four Seasons, World Rugby, TUI, The University of Cambridge, The Office Group, and DP World.
Together, the appointments signal Houston Group’s continued investment in outstanding strategic talent, sitting alongside a strong and growing client roster that includes Qantas, Western Sydney Airport, MA Financial, NRMA, Metcash, a2 Milk, Wesfarmers Health, QT Hotels, NITV, and Belvoir Street Theatre.
