Global brand storytelling agency INVNT has appointed James Nicholas Kinney as its first Global Chief AI Officer, a newly created role designed to advance the integration of AI across all departments and divisions of the agency, with a particular emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region.
The role will focus on delivering AI-powered solutions to clients while building INVNT’s internal AI ecosystem, including data, insights, and tooling infrastructure. The agency stated that the appointment marks a step toward embedding AI into strategy, creative, production, and operations.
Kinney holds AI certifications from MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and the Wharton program led by LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman. His background combines experience in leadership roles such as Global Chief People Officer with technical expertise in AI and data systems.
He has previously held leadership positions at Monks, part of S4Capital, and Ogilvy. His career also includes shaping culture and talent strategies at agencies, including Giant Spoon and Mother.
“Business transformation happens when you connect the dots across industries, technologies, and the experience ecosystem. INVNT has always been at the forefront of innovation-led brandstory,” said Scott Cullather, Chairman and Chief Growth Officer.
“Adding a Global Chief AI Officer to our leadership team marks the next step in that evolution for our clients, our agency and the industry at large. James is uniquely qualified for this role, one of the foremost minds in AI-enabled organisational design with a rare blend of HR leadership, agency experience, and advanced AI training.”
Laura Roberts, Managing Director APAC at INVNT, added: “APAC continues to be one of our fastest growing regions for innovation-led work. Expanding our AI capabilities is a natural next step as we scale experiences across AI, XR, and other emerging technologies, while staying closely aligned with our global teams.
This move gives our clients in the region access to deeper intelligence, better tools, and more connected ways of working, helping them turn ambition into real-world impact.”
Kinney said: “INVNT is an innovation led brand story agency full of high performers. We dream big and build boldly. My role is to bring AI into that ethos, to create greater impact for our clients and drive operational acceleration for our employees around the world.”
Over the last 17 years, INVNT has partnered with some of the world’s leading brands to merge creativity with innovation, positioning the agency at the forefront of next-generation, AI-driven brand storytelling.
- Microsoft: INVNT partnered with Microsoft to introduce CoPilot to the world and designed Microsoft’s 50th Anniversary event, leveraging CoPilot throughout.
• Oracle: INVNT developed the AI-powered creative and programmatic elements for Oracle AI World 2025 with over 60,000 attendees, featuring a keynote by Larry Ellison.
• SHRM: As creative and media buying agency of record, INVNT delivers AI-powered content and strategic media buying.
• Xero: INVNT engineered a proprietary AI Music Factory that generated full albums from simple voice commands.
• COP28: INVNT debuted the award-winning AI-powered Tree of Life installation in Dubai.
• ABB: INVNT developed “ABB-e“, a real-time interactive AI mascot using 3D animation that scaled across global events.
• Lamborghini: INVNT designed the AI-powered strategy and marketing campaign for the last naturally aspirated Lamborghini Aventador paired with the world’s first 1:1 supercar NFT, designed in collaboration with Steve Aoki and Krista Kim which auctioned at RM Sotheby’s for $1.6M.
• Proprietary INVNT Technology: Developed patent-pending AI-powered next-generation XR learning and engagement experiences across Apple Vision Pro and other extended reality devices.
Kinney will be responsible for leading client-facing AI innovation, helping global brands scale their experiences and campaigns through intelligent machine learning, and driving new business opportunities grounded in AI-powered transformation. He will report directly to Scott Cullather, Chairman and Chief Growth Officer of INVNT.
“He understands how humans and machines can coexist to drive meaningful progress, from operational maximalism to predictive analytics and client-forward solutions. His leadership will accelerate INVNT’s future as the best-in-class experience agency enhanced by AI,” added Cullather
