Creative agency Virtue appoints Lesley John as APAC MD

Singapore – Virtue, the creative agency under media company VICE, has appointed Lesley John to be its managing director for the Asia-Pacific region, establishing the company’s focus on the region as a key growth market.

Through the appointed role, John will oversee Virtue’s business and teams across the region including offices in India, Indonesia, Korea, and Japan from its Singapore hub.

She joins from S4 Capital-owned data, content and production company, MediaMonks, where she served as head of client services in Singapore. Prior to that, she held senior and regional positions at agencies VCCP, Arcade, and BBH.

“I am extremely thrilled to be joining the team. Virtue has an incredibly unique offering that stands out within the APAC market. From the agency’s sheer talent to its cultural access within VICE, to its differentiating proposition, there is immense opportunity to help drive growth for brands in the region looking to become part of the ever-evolving cultural landscape,” John said regarding her appointment.

She will be reporting to Virtue’s co-presidents, Colin Mitchell and Chris Garbutt.

Mitchell said, “The APAC market is incredibly diverse and offers Virtue considerable opportunities to deliver culturally impactful work for brands. We continue to invest in our Singapore hub and there is exciting growth potential in other territories, including China and India. Lesley is a brilliant and seasoned leader, who will drive this, to ensure Virtue delivers for clients across the region.” 

Virtue has added new clients across the region, including Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble and Diageo over the past six months. The agency said it is set to announce a string of new appointments, in addition to exploring opportunities to support its clients and brands in new markets across the region.