The real deal: Fiona Johnston

Fiona Johnston isn’t your stock-standard CEO. Before stepping into the top job to lead the media business at dentsu Australia, she ran a nightclub, studied fashion, finance and retail business, worked across continents and trained as a yoga and meditation teacher. Her stepfather jokes she’d have been an artist or pilot if this hadn’t worked out – and depending on the day, she might agree.

Now as CEO of one of dentsu Australia’s most critical growth areas, Johnston oversees the client, media and commercial aspects of the business.

"I’ve always had a passion for communications," she tells The CEO Magazine.

"I grew up in the era of advertising in London, when it was all Guinness and Levi’s ads and music festivals. It was such a positive experience and I became fascinated with what you could do with an event or even just a couple of minutes of advertising to make people feel part of something."

Since joining dentsu Australia two years ago, Johnston says it’s been a natural fit.

"There’s a lot to do and it all comes back to that sense of bringing together people, communications, technology and best practice to do good things for our clients, which I love," she says with a smile.

Media as a growth engine

Under Johnston’s leadership, dentsu’s media business isn’t just responding to change – it’s driving it.

"Media is now the flywheel of dentsu’s future growth, powered by creativity, data and technology," she explains.

"Our media business is a fundamental part of the dentsu story. It has a great legacy of innovation. And Carat, one of the businesses under the dentsu umbrella, was actually the first media agency in the world and pioneered the media practice globally, which it continues to do today."

Johnston believes this moment in media calls for innovation and daily adaptability.

"We’re not in long-term planning cycles anymore. Now we’re planning and iterating every day, every week, every minute – and that will continue to be the case," she says.

Riding the wave of change

With the media landscape shifting rapidly, shaped by evolving technology, changing consumer behavior and a complex digital world, Johnston is embracing that momentum head-on.

"The power of communications is both vast and strong. That becomes increasingly evident given where we are in society in the fourth industrial revolution of technology and on the cusp of the fifth," she points out.

"It’s the fastest change we’ve ever experienced in the history of humankind, which is both scary and exciting."

To keep pace, dentsu is investing in infrastructure that enables agility and scale.

"There’s a real focus on staying ahead of the curve in terms of capability," Johnston says. "AI-driven buying platforms, better management tracking, user experience – these are all things we’re actively investing in.

"We need to ensure every part of the media ecosystem is represented so we can deliver scale and impact for clients."

Ethics in action

Due to increased automation and complexity across the media ecosystem, Johnston believes the industry must take a more active role in setting ethical guardrails, particularly in the Australian market.

"Our clients’ investments are our responsibility, and we must treat them with care, pride and trust," she insists. "It’s important to create space for conversations about ethics – to compassionately test with each other what we should or shouldn’t do, and why."

She believes there’s currently a gap in the market for an industry-wide ethics council.

"You can go too far in overthinking everything or too far the other way, where you’re not taking enough responsibility," she adds.

That balance, she says, is essential – not just for client work but also for society.

"We’re in a commercial, capitalist environment, so we support a lot of people’s jobs," Johnston says. "That means we have to do things in a way that’s appropriate and realistic, and in the best interest of clients, society and our media partners."

Culture at the core

At the heart of dentsu Australia’s success is a people-first culture that Johnston describes as open, ambitious and grounded in mutual respect.

"Dentsu started more than 120 years ago in Japan, with very humble roots. And that humble, society-led ethos still exists across the business, which is something I really value," she confirms.

She also champions what she calls ‘indico’ – a spirit of independence within the group’s media brands: Carat, iProspect and dentsu X.

"Each of our brilliant leaders brings their own style. But we’re aligned on being human, ambitious, client-centric and focused on doing the right thing," she says.

Clarity of purpose and willingness to listen, Johnston believes, are core to keeping people engaged.

"You keep people motivated by being clear on why we’re here, but also by asking them what they need," she says.

Leading with authenticity

Despite her high-profile role, Johnston is quick to reject the notion that she’s cultivated a polished personal brand.

"I’m not particularly conscious of building a personal brand," she admits. "However, I am conscious of playing my role responsibly in support of the dentsu business and our clients and people. And I do it with authenticity."

That authenticity extends to how she shows up in conversations with her people and clients.

"Vulnerability plays a powerful role in leadership, and it’s something most leaders can get better at – myself included," she says.

"There has to be authenticity in how we operate. Otherwise, it’s just showmanship and Instagram reels.

"Everyone’s path looks different, and that’s something we should be talking about more openly. Our downfall as humans is often being quick to put labels on people.

"One area I don’t think is being spoken about enough is the realities of women’s and men’s health. The more we can engage in raw and vulnerable conversations, the more inclusive our workplaces will become."