After an extensive local and global search, VML today announced the appointment of Mark Verhagen as Group Executive Creative Director, VML Brisbane and Perth. Verhagen joins from VML Indonesia where he served as Executive Creative Director, playing a pivotal role in elevating the office into one of Indonesia’s most awarded creative agencies.
Paul Nagy, Chief Creative Officer, VML APAC, said, “Mark’s work consistently demonstrates the calibre of creativity we aspire to at VML – he’s relentlessly curious, deeply collaborative and knows how to turn ambitious thinking into ideas that move culture and business. He’s also just a genuinely awesome dude. What he and the team achieved in Jakarta, taking VML from unranked to one of the most awarded agencies in Indonesia, speaks for itself. Bringing that momentum, energy and craft to VML in Brisbane and Perth is a massive win for our clients and our people. Exciting times.”
In 2025, VML Indonesia achieved #2 most awarded agency in Indonesia in Campaign Brief Asia’s rankings, reflecting the collective impact of the work Verhagen led across some of the industry’s most respected shows. With a career spanning nearly two decades, his recognition includes honours at shows like Cannes Lions, APAC Effies, Adfest and the New York Festivals AME Awards, across health and wellness innovation, brand experience, social and digital campaigns, and highly effective creative platforms. His work has driven engagement for major brands across the region.
Adam Kennedy, Managing Director, VML Brisbane & Perth, added, “Mark brings exactly the kind of creative leadership we want to build around in Brisbane and Perth – he’s hands‑on, human-first, and thinks end‑to‑end across brand, digital, social and experience. He understands how to grow teams, mentor talent and push for work that’s both brave and brilliantly effective. We’re excited to see the impact he’ll have on our clients and our culture.”
Mark Verhagen, Group Executive Creative Director, VML Brisbane & Perth, commented, “I’ve been fortunate to work with great people and teams across different markets, and together we’ve shown what’s possible when you combine ambitious thinking with a deep love for creativity. Australia has an incredible creative culture and VML has serious momentum here. I’m excited to help build on that – partnering with our clients, growing our teams in Brisbane and Perth, and making work that’s both culturally sharp and commercially effective.”
