Dentsu Lab, the global innovation network within Dentsu Group, today announced a series of strategic leadership appointments and structural updates to further scale its innovation capabilities worldwide and unlock the next phase of growth.
As part of this evolution, Joeri Bakker, currently Managing Director, Experience at Dentsu Creative Amsterdam, joins the Dentsu Lab global leadership team in the newly created role of Head of Business & Operations. In this position, Bakker will be responsible for further shaping the commercial strategy, streamlining operational processes, and driving global expansion efforts across markets.
He will work closely with the Dentsu Lab leadership team of Head of Strategy, Ashley Knight; Executive Creative Director, Pascal Rotteveel, and Head of Business & Growth, Florian Root, who are transitioning into expanded global roles focused on business growth, client partnerships, and creative leadership. Together, this strengthened leadership team will collaborate with existing global executives, including Yasuharu Sasaki, Phil Gaughran, and Boris Nihom, to deliver impactful innovation work for clients and scale the presence of Dentsu Lab across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas.
These leadership changes follow the departure of Sven Huberts earlier this year and reflect Dentsu Lab’s ambition to build a more integrated, commercially focused innovation engine that delivers tangible business outcomes.
"With Joeri’s operational leadership and the expanded global remit for Ashley, Pascal, and Florian, we’re entering an exciting new phase for Dentsu Lab. This evolution strengthens our ability to deliver innovation that creates real business value for clients, while scaling our offering across key global markets."
Yasuharu Sasaki, Global Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Lab
Since its global expansion began in 2024, Dentsu Lab has established successful innovation hubs in London, Amsterdam, Warsaw, and Mumbai, with further expansion into North America under active development. By embedding deeper into Dentsu Creative and collaborating closely with Media, CXM, and Brand Experience service lines, Dentsu Lab is positioned as a catalyst for transformative, cross-disciplinary work.
"Our ambition is to move beyond siloed innovation work and focus on building strategic, long-term partnerships that deliver commercial impact. Managing Director, Experience at Dentsu Creative Amsterdam."
Joeri Bakker, Managing Director, Experience at Dentsu Creative Amsterdam & Head of Business & Operations, Dentsu Lab
Dentsu Lab’s focus on groundbreaking innovation is exemplified by its recent accolades, including Project Humanity’s selection as a World Changing Idea by Fast Co and CCO Naoki Tanaka's recognition as IADAS Executive Jury Member and Catalyst Award winner (THEA). These achievements reflect the Lab’s ability to deliver work that resonates globally and creates lasting impact.