Singapore – International advertising agency dentsu has announced the appointment of Clay Schouest as chief strategy officer for client and solutions in APAC to handle the agency’s client portfolio in the region.
Schouest is back in Asia and with dentsu after five years in Europe. As a dentsu veteran, he spent 11 years at the agency working on strategy roles in Shanghai, Singapore, and London.
In his newly created role, he will be based in Singapore and will lead the strategy and vision for dentsu’s client portfolio, building integrated, end-to-end solutions that deliver client revenue growth, profitability, and satisfaction.
Prior to his appointment, he served as the global strategy director for communications for Reckitt in 2021.
Schouest brings with him a unique experience after having worked in key markets across the world, including New York, London, Amsterdam, and Shanghai. He has devoted his career to building strategies that merge media and creativity, working with prolific brands including Coca-Cola, Unilever, P&G, Diageo, and L’Oreal.
Yusuke Kasahara, CEO for client and solutions in APAC, said, “Clay is a truly global citizen, having lived and worked across major markets in all three regions, giving him a unique ability to build hyper-relevant strategies that deliver long-term growth and loyalty for brands.”
He continued, “He will work closely with our Chief Client Officer and CEO, Media, APAC, Prerna Mehrotra, to build a culture of client-centricity and excellence in our business, drawing on his 25 years of experience to help our clients navigate the complexity of the marketplace with laser-sharp focus on delivering solutions to help them achieve their growth ambitions. I am delighted to welcome Clay back to dentsu and back to Asia.”
Commenting on his appointment, Clay Schouest shared, “Some of my most memorable and career defining years were at dentsu and I am delighted to be returning back to the business and a region I have missed and call home.”
“There is no question that Asia is the most exciting region in the world, with its exponential growth in wealth and population creating significant opportunity for brands. But to thrive in this environment, brands have to truly understand the vast profiles of the Asian consumer and how best to engage with them, given the strength of local brands and the proliferation of channels these consumers chose to engage with. I’m looking forward to re-engaging with dentsu’s clients in Asia and partnering with them to deliver on their long-term priorities and identify new paths to growth,” he added.
