Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney executive planning director Jason Lonsdale joins New York indie agency Mekanism as chief strategy officer

After nearly four years in the role Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney executive planning director Jason Lonsdale has joined New York indie agency Mekanism as chief strategy officer.

Kiwi expat Lonsdale joined Saatchi’s in February 2012, appointed by CEO Michael Rebelo, who he had worked with at Saatchi’s London.

In his capacity as International Planning Director, he was the pan-European strategic lead on T-Mobile’s multi-award winning ‘Life’s for Sharing’ campaign. Prior to that Lonsdale was global planning director at RKCR/Y&R on Land Rover and LG. In 2011 Lonsdale moved to acclaimed Canadian creative hot shop TAXI as Head of Planning. 

After a spell in the music industry, Lonsdale started his advertising career at Colenso BBDO, Auckland where he was responsible for brands such as MINI, Pepsi and Mars as well as the successful re-launch of Air New Zealand.