Creative technology studio names industry veteran Scott Ewings as Chief Strategy Officer and promotes James Hobbs to Chief Technology Officer.

Aer Studios has announced two significant additions to its leadership team in a significant move that signals the studio’s ambition to become the defining name in mission-led creative technology. Scott Ewings joins as Chief Strategy Officer, bringing nearly three decades of digital agency leadership to the role, while James Hobbs steps up from within the business to become Chief Technology Officer.

Together, the appointments represent a clear statement of intent from Aer Studios as it moves into an ambitious new phase of growth – one focused on deepening its strategic offer, expanding its presence in London and the South East, and driving creative technology for purpose-led clients. 

Scott Ewings – Chief Strategy Officer

Ewings, whose career spans leadership roles at some of the UK’s most respected digital agencies, including Fjord (now Accenture Song), Ustwo, Potato (now AKQA Leap), Bernadette (part of VCCP), and Manifesto (part of TPXImpact), brings over 30 years of experience driving growth, shaping strategy and building digital products and services for brands and organisations that include Google, Barclays, BBC, O2, Canon and Cadbury.

Reporting directly to CEO Tom Harber, Ewings will act as the studio’s dedicated London ambassador – establishing a visible South East presence and delivering strategic value to both prospective and existing clients. He will also play a key role in Aer Studios’ events programme, taking on speaking, facilitation and thought leadership responsibilities that extend the studio’s reach and reputation across the sector. He has consistently led agencies through pivotal periods of growth and his track record of building high-performance studios and winning complex, high-value mandates for mission-driven organisations makes him a natural fit for a studio that exists to use creative technology to accelerate positive impact and catalyse change for missions that matter.

“Scott’s appointment feels like a moment for us”, says Harber. “He brings a rare combination of strategic gravitas, genuine passion for purpose-driven work, and deep relationships across the industry. He is exactly the kind of leader who can help us navigate the next step of our journey and we couldn’t be more delighted to have him on board.”

Ewings added: “Aer Studios is doing something genuinely distinctive. The work is serious, the client missions matter, the ambition is real and the team has built something worth shouting about. I’m here to help them do exactly that – to get the right conversations happening with the right people, and to make sure the industry knows what Aer is capable of.”

James Hobbs – Chief Technology Officer

James Hobbs’ promotion to CTO is a recognition of the considerable impact he has made since joining Aer Studios two years ago, coming from previous roles leading digital technology teams at Dyson and Great State. Under his technical leadership, the studio has delivered a series of ground-breaking projects, including Pocket Talks – a world-first proof of concept enabling immersive keynote experiences on mobile, developed in collaboration with a volumetric video company – alongside an augmented reality experience for BBC Children in Need.

A vocal advocate for digital sustainability, Hobbs sits on the Umbraco Sustainability Committee and is a sought-after speaker and podcast contributor on the responsible use of emerging technology. Last year, he spearheaded the widely discussed talk series ‘Is ChatGPT killing the penguins? And other AI considerations’, which urged pragmatic, ethical engagement with artificial intelligence. His commitment to the next generation of technologists has seen him engage directly with schools and colleges; in 2025, he addressed 500 pupils at the CyberFirst Christmas lecture.

Tom Harber said: “James has been instrumental in shaping how we work and what we’re capable of as a studio. His promotion to CTO reflects not only the quality of what he delivers for our clients, but his influence on the wider technology community. This comes at a pivotal period of change for the industry where strong technology leadership has arguably never been so important”

Hobbs commented: “I joined Aer Studios because of our mission and our incredible roster of purpose-driven clients. I feel very fortunate to have such a talented technology team and proud of what we’ve achieved together so far. The technology landscape has never moved as quickly as it is right now, and I’m excited to continue to exploit that to help our clients push the boundaries further and to achieve their missions through creative technology.”

About aer studios

Aer Studios is a creative technology studio on a mission - using Creative Technology to accelerate positive impact for clients and causes where the stakes are high and the outcomes matter.