DEPT hires Roy Armale to drive AI product strategy

DEPT has appointed Roy Armale as chief product officer, effective 1 April 2026, strengthening its leadership team as it expands its AI-driven services and product capabilities.

Roy Armale joins from WPP, where he served as chief product and growth officer at WPP Open, the group’s AI-based marketing operating system. He brings more than 15 years of experience across product development, commerce, and marketing technology.

Expanding product leadership for AI-driven growth

In his new role, Roy Armale will lead DEPT’s product vision and technology capabilities, supporting the company’s ambition to integrate AI more deeply into client solutions. The appointment reflects DEPT’s focus on combining technology with human expertise to drive business outcomes.

The company reports that half of its global revenue already comes from AI-enabled services, alongside managing more than $5 billion in digital media spend for clients including Logitech, OpenAI, and eBay.

Focus on integrating technology and human expertise

Roy Armale will oversee DEPT’s Future of Work programme, aimed at scaling its AI capabilities and workforce development model. This includes advancing platforms that connect partners such as Google and Adobe across the customer journey.

He will also continue development of the company’s Empathy Gradient framework, which focuses on ensuring that technology supports human decision-making rather than replacing it.

Dimi Albers, Global CEO, DEPT: "Growth today requires a unifying system that connects marketing, engineering, data, and human creativity. Roy understands how to build that layer. He has consistently proven that technology creates value only when it is embedded in how people work. That belief is fundamental to Growth Invention, and it’s why he’s the right leader for this next phase."

Building systems to support long-term growth

Roy Armale, Chief Product Officer, DEPT: "The industry is distracted by AI as a headline. But AI alone does not create growth. Growth happens when technology augments people, removes friction between disciplines, and aligns with a clear commercial purpose. DEPT is not building AI for efficiency; we are building systems for growth. That difference matters, and it’s why I’m here."

The appointment follows DEPT’s broader investment in AI-powered infrastructure, including its enterprise content system developed with Adobe, as the company continues to position itself at the intersection of marketing, technology, and data.

www.deptagency.com

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