KPMG Australia appoints former Publicis CEO Andrew Baxter

Andrew Baxter has been brought in to KPMG Australia’s customer, brand and marketing advisory business as a senior advisor. 

KPMG has bolstered its entrepreneurial customer, brand and marketing advisory team with the appointment of ex-Publicis Australia CEO Andrew Baxter. Baxter has a wealth of experience in the marketing and communications realm having lead multiple professional services firms for over a decade. 

He has been a trusted advisor to some of the biggest companies and brands in Australia spanning multiple sectors and industries. Before Baxter joined KPMG, he led both Publicis and Ogilvy Australia as CEO and has also worked as a non-executive director for multiple organisations including Australian Pork and iNC Digital Media. 

In his new role, Baxter will advise KPMG’s clients on his areas of speciality including brand and customer experience, as well as develop a new range of offerings in the customer, brand and marketing advisory (CBMA) space. 

Baxter began his career in 1993 at the marketing and communications agency Young & Rubicam and within five years climbed the ladder to be the head of account management. He has a graduate degree from Monash University in business and marketing and is a fellow with both the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Marketing Institute.

Baxter commented on his new position by saying, “I’m excited to be joining the fast-growing team at KPMG. The rise of the customer is reshaping how businesses operate, and now more than ever Australian companies need a “whole of organisation” approach to their marketing and operations.” 

Furthermore, he will join other industry leaders who have moved to KPMG’s newly established CBMA business. The consulting firm launched the new practice in 2017 and has since drawn a number of high profile names including Carmen Bekker (JWT), Amanda Hicks (Acuity), Lisa Bora (Google), Justin Gurney (Publicis), and Stephanie Pemberton (Qantas).

The practice offers a range of digital marketing solutions including customer strategy and experience, brand and marketing, marketing and sales transformation, design thinking and innovation, media value advisory, and social media as well as their own KPMG Acuity research. 

“In under a year our CBMA team has grown to over 100 people and is delivering work for some of Australia’s most forward-thinking organisations,” said Paul Howes, the partner-in-charge of KPMG’s CBMA practice, adding in respect to its latest recruit; “Andrew will help us build to the next level.”

“He is one of Australia’s most respected brand leaders with over 25 years of pushing the status quo when it comes to helping brands connect with their customers. He also brings unparalleled insights into how clients can bring maximum value to the brand and consumer value chain, as well as a compelling lens to help our clients reshape their customer conversations.”