DE-YAN Names First-Ever President as Studio Passes 160 Staff
New York – September 29, 2026 -- Brand experience studio DE-YAN has appointed Jonathan Akwue as its first President, hiring the former Translation chief and ex-Publicis Groupe executive as the firm builds on a year of double-digit headcount growth and an industry-first ROI certification.
Akwue arrives from Translation after more than 25 years across network agencies
Akwue previously served as President and Global Media Lead at Publicis Groupe, with earlier stints at Digitas UK and Lost Boys. Based in New York, he will work alongside founder and CEO Dejan Jovanovic to deepen client relationships and expand the studio's scope. He is the second senior network-agency executive to join DE-YAN in under two years, following Chief Creative Officer Jason Kreher, who arrived from Wieden+Kennedy and Maximum Effort in 2025.