Dentsu announces global expansion of innovation lab

Sven Huberts and Naoki Tanaka Elevated to Lead Global Rollout of Pioneering Dentsu Lab Tokyo  

First Labs Opening in London, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Mumbai and Bengaluru 

Dentsu today announced the global expansion of the network’s innovation proposition, Dentsu Lab. The first global Labs will be opening in London, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Mumbai and Bengaluru, with further international Labs planned for 2025. With this news, dentsu also announces the elevation of Sven Huberts to the role of President, Global Innovation & Experience and President, Dentsu Lab. Huberts will lead Dentsu Lab in partnership with Naoki Tanaka, the lead for Dentsu Lab Tokyo, now also appointed Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Lab. 

The worldwide initiative builds on the success of dentsu's pioneering Dentsu Lab Tokyo, founded in 2014 by dentsu’s Global Chief Creative Officer Yasuharu Sasaki to innovate the human experience. Over the past decade, the Lab has been responsible for some of the network’s most renowned innovation projects. These include ‘All Players Welcome’ which uses technology to free the creative potential of those living with disabilities; ceremonies of international events, and the use of algorithms and data visualisation to enhance sports experiences.

The new international network will work towards a shared mission to innovate human experiences that move people’s hearts, impact business, and improve society. Each Lab will be overseen by dedicated local leadership, to be announced in the coming months, with a team of specialists working to bring a range of services to market. They include creative R&D connecting contexts and technologies including Events, Sports, Gaming, Installations, Retail, New Products, Proposition Design, New Realities (AR, VR, MR), Data Visualisation, AI, Mobile, IoT and Rapid Prototyping.  The Labs will be fully integrated with each other and dentsu’s offices, to expand on the network’s innovation offer.

The launch of Dentsu Lab is being showcased on the opening day at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, as part of a presentation delivered by dentsu President & Global CEO, Hiroshi Igarashi and Global Chief Creative Officer, Yasuharu Sasaki. During a live showcase of some of the Lab’s groundbreaking work, Igarashi and Sasaki will explain the key principles that have guided the team for the past 10 years. Looking to dentsu’s vision to shape the future of the industry, the session will demonstrate how this global expansion is optimised to impact people, businesses, and society around the world through the power of Creativity and Innovation. 

 Sven Huberts, President Global Innovation & Experience and President, Dentsu Lab, said: 

“We are at an inflexion point of human creativity and technical sophistication where the opportunity for genuine innovation has never been so compelling. I couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with Naoki and our Lab leaders, to empower our growing global team of creators, partners and institutions with the most powerful technology and tools in the world to create experiences that truly touch hearts, impact business and, most importantly, move society forward.” 

Naoki Tanaka, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Lab, said: 

“Since launching ten years ago, Dentsu Lab Tokyo has revolutionized the intersection of technology and creativity, solving societal challenges and creating visionary expressions that touch hearts and minds. Our talented international team of dreamers and innovators, equipped with cutting-edge technology, are poised to take this impact worldwide, to accelerate our clients’ growth while making a profound impact on society. We take outlier’s perspective to open up new possibility and find new answers through play. The future isn’t just on the horizon, with Dentsu Lab’s global vision, it is here and now, ready to transform the world.” 

Jean Lin, Global President, Global Practices, dentsu, said: 

“The launch of Dentsu Lab continues a proud 120-year tradition of innovation sitting at the core of dentsu’s offering. We know from Dentsu Lab Tokyo how powerful the outcome for society and business can be when you bring the best creative technologists together to imagine and invent. To be making this possible on a global stage is an exciting moment for dentsu, clients and society.” 

 -ENDS- 

 ABOUT SVEN HUBERTS 
In 2024 Huberts was promoted from EMEA President, Experience to President, Global Experience & Innovation and President, Dentsu Lab. In this new role Huberts is responsible not only for spearheading the global expansion of Dentsu Lab, but also for scaling the mission across the network to deliver client growth via dentsu’s combined experience and innovation capabilities. Since joining dentsu in 2010 Sven Huberts has occupied a range of local, regional and global leadership roles, and has been instrumental to the commercial growth, creative innovation and cultural development of the organisation in that time. Highlights have included Isobar’s recognition as one of FastCompany’s ‘Most Innovative Companies’ during his tenure as a local, apac regional and global leader, 3 Campaign Regional Digital AoY awards in APAC, and a Campaign Regional Innovation & Digital AoY award in EMEA. 

ABOUT NAOKI TANAKA 
With an academic background in science and technology, Naoki’s creative work transcends design, technology and story-telling. As Creative Director of Dentsu Lab Tokyo he has pushed the boundaries of creative technology for clients. He has delivered a number of world-first R&D initiatives, and been awarded at many international shows, including D&AD, Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Grand Prix at AdFest among others.  

The scope of his work has ranged from music videos to digital design, AI systems, large scale immersive experience, and even creating an android. For example:

• “PARAde of ATHLETES” for the opening ceremony of TOKYO 2020 Paralympics
• “UNLABELED” a camouflage to escape from AI surveillance society 
• “Matsukoroid” the world's first android TV show host
• “All Players Welcome” a project that explores new ways to unleash the creative potential of ALS patients

About Dentsu
Dentsu is an integrated growth and transformation partner to the world’s leading organizations. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan, and now present in over 145 countries and regions, it has a proven track record of nurturing and developing innovations, combining the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for clients. Dentsu delivers end-to-end experience transformation (EX) by integrating its services across Media, CXM and Creative, while its business transformation (BX) mindset pushes the boundaries of transformation and sustainable growth for brands, people and society. 

Dentsu, Innovating to Impact. 
Find out more at: 
https://brands.dentsu.com/innovating-to-impact/ 

About Dentsu Lab
Dentsu Lab is a global creative network of R&D labs located in London, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Mumbai and Bengaluru, with further international launches planned for 2025. It’s mission is to innovate the human experience, to move people’s hearts, impact business, and improve society. Lab expertise includes creative R&D connecting contexts and technologies including Events, Sports, Gaming, Installations, Retail, New Products, Proposition Design, New Realities (AR, VR, MR), Data Visualisation, AI, Mobile, IoT and Rapid Prototyping.
The team has been responsible for some of dentsu’s most renowned and award-winning innovation projects including ‘All Players Welcome’ and is led by Sven Huberts President, Global Innovation & Experience and President, Dentsu Lab and Naoki Tanaka, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Lab.

Visit DentsuLab.com

For more information, please contact:
Antonia Collins 
Global Communications Director 
+447711375405