Thoughtworks appoints Steve Yurisich as APAC managing director
Former Merkle A/NZ chief executive Steve Yurisich has been appointed as Thoughtworks new regional managing director for the Asia Pacific region, joining as the tech consultancy goes private.
Prior to a recent sabbatical, Yurisich spent just over a year as Merkle’s A/NZ CEO after being elevated from chief growth officer, before which he spent close to a decade as a senior leader at Accenture between Australia and the United Kingdom.
Yurisich joins Thoughtworks as it transitions to once again being a private company, with London-based private equity firm Apax Partners completing its $1.75 billion takeover late last year after the global tech consultancy floated in 2021.
“Thoughtworks has long been a company I’ve deeply admired for its pioneering role in the software development industry and ability to create extraordinary impact through a unique combination of culture, technology, and innovation,” Yurisich stated, adding that he was honoured to be taking over from former Australia managing director Kristan Vingrys, who has led the APAC region since 2022.
Now based out of Melbourne, Yurisich spent a considerable chunk of his early career in Sweden and the UK, including establishing a pair of mobile internet and media software companies in the early 2000s, before then joining Accenture as a managing director in London and Australia, including time as A/NZ digital lead. He then served as local chief growth officer for Accenture Interactive.
Joining Merkle in 2022, Yurisich was caught out last year by Dentsu’s major restructure, which has seen many of Merkle’s local C-suite depart the company, including APAC leader John Riccio, who now runs his own advisory Endpoint Partners, and chief growth and technology transformation officer Michael Sullivan, who has since joined Think Beyond.
Nevertheless, Yurisich sounds pleased enough with his new gig: “After an inspiring first week with the rest of the global management team, I’m looking forward to collaborating with our talented people, connecting with our clients across APAC to drive innovation, impact, and value together in the weeks and months ahead. As I embark on this journey, I’m thrilled for what’s to come.”
Among that global management team is Mike Sutcliff, the force behind and former CEO of Accenture Digital, who took over as Thoughtworks chief in the middle of last year ahead of the consultancy’s acquisition by Apax. The firm has stated that going private will help it focus on its long-term strategy and accelerate innovation and leadership in AI-enabled software and services.
