Sydney, Australia – Brand and digital studio Koto has officially marked its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region with the launch of its Sydney office. The studio also announced the appointment of two new seasoned executives, Damian Borchok as managing director and Gerald Torto as senior strategy director.
The new appointees will be leading the new office and regional efforts in APAC, with a senior creative leader expected to join them in the next few months.
Koto’s initial focus will be on expanding its presence in Australia, India, Singapore, and South Korea. This strategic move reflects Koto’s continuous growth as a brand and digital studio spanning the EU, US, and now APAC.
While Koto’s local footprint was absent until now, it has already engaged with several APAC enterprises, including Australian-founded Airtasker, a service marketplace; Zip, a buy-now-pay-later fintech; Gumtree, an online classifieds and community site acquired by eBay, operating in Australia and New Zealand; and Korean-based Need, a digital cancer protection system.
The studio’s momentum has grown steadily, recently delivering impactful projects for global brands such as Airbnb, Amazon Music, Discord, Glassdoor, Netflix, and Whatsapp.
It is dedicated to building optimistic brands that are true, compelling, and distinctive and continues to leverage deep immersion and strategic thinking as the foundation for ensuring relevance and creative excellence in every project it undertakes.
And as they started their move to expand in APAC, Koto’s strategic move was bolstered by an accomplished leadership team with a standout local track record.
Prior to his appointment as managing director for APAC, Borchok held key positions at Interbrand and Landor Australian outposts before launching his boutique studio, For The People. He has over two decades of APAC experience and carries with him a portfolio of prominent brands like Culture Amp (Australia), TIMEdotCom (Malaysia), and the iconic Sydney Opera House.
Meanwhile, Torto, in his new role as senior strategy director for APAC, brings a distinctive blend of brand strategy and business expertise. He formerly served as a strategy director for Re, a part of the M&C Saatchi Group.
He was able to establish a new practice within Re dedicated to delivering brand services to APAC tech scale-ups, amassing an impressive client portfolio including Australian brands Weel, Mr Yum, Channel 7, and more.
Koto also teased a third leader, well-versed in regional dynamics, who will soon join the leadership team as executive creative director.
James Greenfield, CEO at Koto, explained, “After launching our second US studio in New York just over a year ago, it felt right to set our sights on the APAC region. We’ve worked with a number of APAC clients in recent years, and we can see the potential here is immense, with thriving economies and leaders aiming to make their brands global forces. I’ve always believed APAC brands hold untapped possibilities to display their identity, differentiation, and strategic growth.”
He added, “Exceptional brands shouldn’t be limited to the US – there are a lot of interesting products and services in APAC. Koto steps in with Damian, G, and our upcoming Executive Creative Director, soon to be unveiled. Together, they’re the dream team writing this next chapter with us.”
Also speaking on the expansion, Borchok said, “Sooner rather than later Asia will be home to 3 of the 5 largest economies in the world. Brands from this region will have global impact like never before. While there are internationally networked branding agencies across APAC, few are yet to bring much of a sense of dynamism, vision, or ambition. The region deserves to see more brands that elevate Asia’s growing status and influence—commercially and culturally.”
“Koto was born out of the technology and innovation world. Our work is informed by the entrepreneurial drive to build something better. In our case, it’s brands. We’re looking forward to partnering with like-minded businesses and contributing to the exciting times ahead in Asia and the Pacific,” he further explained.
On the appointment, Torto also shared, “I’m really excited to be contributing to Koto’s vision of building the world’s most iconic brands in the world’s most iconic places. The opening of a studio in Sydney to service the region is a real signal of intent and too good an opportunity to miss. For me, there’s an unmatched optimism and pragmatism to the way the business goes about its work, and that drives an approach to brand strategy and verbal (as well as visual) identity that I feel can make a real difference to the ambitious businesses across APAC.”
