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Ete Davies, the chief executive of Engine Creative, is leaving the agency after two and a half years.

Initially, Davies plans to spend some time on personal projects, including St Thomas Hospital in Enugu, Nigeria, which was founded by Davies' grandfather, and CultureHeroes, the not-for-profit initiative Davies founded to improve diversity in leadership in the creative industries. After a time, Davies is likely to return to the industry.

Davies joined Engine in 2019 from AnalogFolk, where he was managing director for three years, after originally joining the digital shop as head of delivery. Prior to AnalogFolk, Davies worked at AKQA, latterly as head of delivery for North America, Europe and Asia.

He said: "Over the last two years, I have effectively integrated the existing creative disciplines, successfully launched new practices and service offerings, diversified our client portfolio, built a high-performing, representative and inclusive leadership team, driven greater diversity and inclusivity across the business and have led Engine Creative to some of its best years for creative output.

"I'm particularly proud of the 'Long live the Prince' work for the Kiyan Prince Foundation, which was close to my heart and demonstrated what diversity, imagination and collaboration combine to create the exceptional.

"With all that accomplished, it's time for me to seek the next challenge. I feel proud to have left Engine in a position to build on this success, as a progressive and highly innovative creative business."

"Long live the Prince", by Engine for The Kiyan Prince Foundation, was the most successful individual campaign at the ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 Big Awards last year with seven gongs.

In an interview with ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 in early 2020, Davies described his mission at Engine to help consumer-facing brands to make "strategic leaps to become disruptors, to gain that advantage and navigate uncertain times and the volatility that we all face".

Davies is the second Engine executive to announce they are leaving the agency this month. Now hired Louise Hayward, client managing director and director of account handling at Engine UK, as its chief executive early in January.

. The process is understood to be well under way.

Kasha Cacy, global chief executive of Engine, said: "Ete has led the Creative business through a transformation over the last two years and we are enormously grateful for his contribution and wish him the best in his next challenges.

"He has built a strong, and talented leadership team and, while we work through longer-term leadership plans, we have every confidence in this team to continue delivering for our staff and clients. They will be supported as needed by the wider Engine executive team."

Jim Moffatt, UK chief executive of Engine Group, left the independent network to join Apple EMEA in a senior marketing role last year. Since Moffatt's departure, Davies has reported directly to Cacy, alongside the other UK divisional leaders.