Tesa Aragones honoured on the Gold House A100 List

President, North America AKQA Tesa Aragones has been named as an A100 honouree, celebrated as one of 100 most impactful Asian Pacific leaders over the past year.

From creativity to commerce, Gold House’s 2023 A100 List recognises those who have most significantly impacted culture and society, bridging communities, industries and continents through their achievements.

Tesa has more than 25 years of brand leadership experience and a proven track record for cultural contribution and celebrated innovation with organisations including Nike, of which she had a 10-year tenure in senior leadership, Volkswagen, Apple, Xbox, Bacardi and Universal Studios. As an esteemed executive marketer, Tesa has guided many new-generation companies through pivotal periods of creativity, collaboration and significant growth to move the world forward.

On receiving the honour, Tesa said: “When I was a child, my Filipino mother always reframed challenges for me by saying, ‘Don’t worry. That is good luck!’ When I perceived something as scary, daunting or difficult, she invited me to make a better path forward with faith, courage and optimism. In my role at AKQA, I continue to share my mother’s outlook on life. I am humbled and excited to be part of this year’s A100 honourees. Thank you Gold House, and congratulations to the honourees and legends. This is an incredible way to kick off Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month.”

A trailblazer for diversity, equity and inclusion, Tesa holds several posts in addition to her responsibilities at AKQA, including as an Advisor, Adjunct Speaker at the Stanford Community College, part of the Stanford Design School designed for and by Brown and Black community members.