Tag: Appointments

Australia – Global advertising agency and public relations company Publicis Groupe in ANZ has appointed Jason Tonelli, the current CEO of digital agency Razorfish, to be its new CEO of ROI agency Zenith.

Tonelli will be continuing to lead Razorfish until the end of the year while his replacement is recruited. He will be moving into his new position at Zenith in January 2023.

In other roles at the Groupe, Tonelli was previously Publicis Media ANZ’s chief digital and technology officer, and executive director of technology, digital and content at Starcom Australia. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Audited Media Association of Australia.

Commenting on his appointment, Tonelli said that with a heritage of strong leadership and talented specialists, he could not be more honoured to lead Zenith and succeed Nickie Scriven, who has done an amazing job progressing the agency to where it is today. 

“The opportunity ahead in what we can do for clients is enormous. Working across the full spectrum of media communications, Zenith delivers insights that lie at the intersection of consumer, category, and brand – attributing every budget to stronger business outcomes, and more personal brand experiences,” he added.

Meanwhile, Michael Rebelo, Publicis Groupe’s CEO for ANZ, shared that Tonelli’s depth of experience in media, data, technology and creative solutions has made him a key member of their executive leadership team, and most recently, he relaunched Razorfish to position the business as a progressive digital marketing transformation agency, while as chief product officer, he strengthened their agencies’ capabilities in the core areas of commerce and attention. 

“Over the past ten years and in the various roles, Jason has held across the Groupe, he has shown himself to be a successful and strategic leader focused on building a strong culture and driving business outcomes for clients – making him perfectly placed to take Zenith to its exciting next stage of growth,” said Rebelo.

Just recently, Publicis Groupe has launched its sustainability consultancy ‘Salterbaxter’ in Australia. This offers solutions to help organisations in the country turn their sustainability promises into progress.

Seoul, South Korea – Full-service communications agency Redhill has appointed Do Sik (DS) Kim, former senior writer at Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), to be its new chief operating officer for its Korea operation. 

In his new role, Kim will be based in Seoul and working closely with Redhill Korea’s leadership team. He will also be focusing on driving local expertise and cross-market collaboration to orchestrate broader capabilities for clients and accelerate business growth — with a sharp focus on the domestic market’s thriving start-up and tech investment ecosystem. 

Kim is a veteran journalist with over three decades of experience in public affairs and corporate communications. Over the course of his career, he has developed a robust background in legal reporting and has forged strong connections with various government sectors from the Prime Minister’s Office to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, as well as with prominent prosecutors and lawmakers. He began his journalism career at the Yonhap News Agency, followed by a 26-year stint with SBS.

Commenting on his appointment, Kim said that he could not be more excited by this opportunity to join hands with this rapidly growing agency.

“I’m looking forward to assisting our local clients with creating exceptional marketing communications and creative innovations to enter new markets and expand their global footprint and global clients to enter and deepen their market presence in South Korea,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Jacob Puthenparambil, founder and CEO of Redhill, noted that they know their clients will greatly benefit from Kim’s foresight, wealth of experience, and counsel to navigate their complex business and communication challenges.

“DS brings deep subject matter expertise and an impressive track record as a trusted advisor, collaborator, and growth driver. I have full confidence that he will be a great asset to expand our domestic footprint and orchestrate new service offerings to create exceptional work for our clients, said Puthenparambil.

Australia – Advertising agency CHEP Network has elevated Amy Weston, its former creative director, to be its new executive creative director, joining the national creative leadership team. 

Weston joined CHEP over seven years ago, and during her time with the agency has led innovative creative work for clients including 7-Eleven, AGL, Mazda, and TAC, as well as Pernod Ricard, and RACV, amongst others. Over the course of her career, she has turned t-shirts into road safety tools with RACV’s ‘Booster Tag’, made young drivers fear social death more than actual death in MAC’s ‘Lose your License’ and ‘You’re Screwed’ campaign, and most recently created 7-Eleven Australia’s first entry into the beauty world with its Coffee Body Scrub. 

Moreover, Weston’s work has been recognised at a host of local and international award shows, and has recently joined The Aunties’ senior mentorship programme, using her experience and expertise to help support the next generation of female leaders. 

Commenting on her elevation, Weston said, “It’s a pleasure to be recognised in this role and I’m excited to continue making world-class work with all the clever people at CHEP.”

Meanwhile, Glen Dickson, CHEP’s deputy chief creative officer, noted, “Amy is a truly creative person. And a natural creative leader. She’ll do amazing things in her new role at CHEP – for our clients, our people and our work.”

Singapore – Public relations firm Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K) has appointed Adeline Lee, former head of PR and comms and business director at ADK Connect, to step into the newly created role of general manager for Singapore.

In her new role, Lee will be focusing on driving growth and overseeing all aspects of the business operations and talent development. Her appointment will accelerate H+K Asia’s growth trajectory and complement the agency’s regional expansion plans. Lee will be reporting to Justin Then, CEO of H+K Singapore and Lumos H+K Malaysia.

Lee brings over 20 years of consultancy and in-house experience in communications management. Prior to her previous role at ADK Connect, she was the founder and owner of SG Story, a local boutique agency that specialised in audience engagement, content development and path-to-purchase marketing.

Lee shared that as content and storytelling continue to evolve, there is an increasing need for effective, compelling, and authentic communications that build relationships in today’s complex and ever-changing situations. 

“This is truly an exciting time for marketers, and I am looking forward to partnering with our clients to drive marketing outcomes that are aligned to their business goals,” she added.

Meanwhile, Then commented, “Adeline is a passionate leader with a proven track record of building successful teams and businesses. Her entrepreneurial spirit and deep experience in omnichannel campaigns make her a valuable addition as we continue to expand service solutions and offerings in Singapore.”

HS Chung, president of H+K Asia, said, “I am very pleased with Adeline’s decision to join H+K and her clear vision of how we can continue to build on an already exceptional team. Singapore continues to be an integral hub for our network and clients in the Asia market and this appointment bodes well for H+K Singapore’s growth.”

Sydney, Australia – IPG’s connected intelligence company, Kinesso, has elevated Clay Gill, the current CEO at Matterkind Australia, to be its new CEO for Australia. As part of his new remit, Gill will retain his Matterkind leadership role while adding responsibility for Kinesso Australia’s data and technology solutions.

Gill noted that marketers can engage IPG from start to finish knowing that the design of their digital marketing requirements from CDP to media activation is fully transparent and effective, and that the company’s supply path optimisation agenda is also unparalleled globally, as it’s fully auditable and accountable – ensuring every dollar spent in media is validated.

He further shared, “IPG offers its clients an end-to-end solution across Martech, Adtech and Media activation using First Party Data at a deterministic level. Where insight and scalability are a challenge for the industry, IPG’s full-stack offering provides clients [with] an unmatched ability to extend beyond their own eco-system and or access a quick-to-market data solution through Acxiom’s Infobase.”

“We are by far ahead of the cookie crumble and very much leading the way towards connecting consumers with their brands. I am excited about what the future holds and the expanded offering for our clients,” said Gill.

Meanwhile, Mark Coad, CEO at Mediabrands Australia, commented that Gill is an outstanding leader and the extension of his role is a testament to his leadership qualities and the great work Matterkind continually produces for its clients.

He added, “In his new role, Clay’s primary responsibility will be to ensure clients have a single, simplified engagement experience with Acxiom, Kinesso and Matterkind; companies that work closely together as part of the data, technology, and media activation backbone of IPG.”

Matt Ware, CEO at Kinesso APAC, said, “Clay and his team have established an industry reputation for craft, innovation, and client servicing and I’m confident with his industry knowledge and zeal for innovation and solving client problems, combined with the calibre of his team, that he will be well positioned to bring the full spectrum of Kinesso and Matterkind capabilities to life. I am delighted he has taken on the expanded leadership role”

As part of the new Matterkind/Kinesso leadership team, Michael Whiteside, former head of Melbourne/Perth, will be moving to the role of national managing director of Matterkind, while Kim Kho, previously UM’s director of Biddable Media, Australian Government, will be taking on the role of national head of trading at Matterkind. Additionally, Matterkind also welcomes Georgina Fox, former head of operations at GroupM’s Finecast, to be its new national head of strategic investment and partnerships. 

On the appointment of his new team, Gill said, “As a leader, nothing is more pleasing than recognising talent and promoting from within plus onboarding innovative leaders of the future. In Michael, Kim, and Georgina I am confident the business has the skills, knowledge and creativity to offer our clients truly world-class end-to-end business solutions.”

Singapore – Fyllo, a marketing and regulatory solutions company, has appointed Robert Woolfrey, former senior vice president of Asia (Division of Singtel) at advertising and martech platform Amobee, to be its new managing director for APAC. 

In his new role, Woolfrey will be opening and leading the company’s business in the region, and will be reporting to Jeff Ragovin, Fyllo’s chief commercial officer.

Woolfrey has nearly 20 years of experience growing and directing business operations across APAC. During his stint at Amobee, he was responsible for integrating two global acquisitions, Turn and Videology, and spearheading the agency’s expansion across Asia. In that role, Woolfrey has also played an integral role in building partnerships with telcos, TV broadcasters, publishers, brands, and agencies, as well as executing cutting-edge, award-winning digital campaigns for brands.

Woolfrey noted, “Many of the brightest – and progressive – brands today are in Asia. This represents an immediate opportunity for Fyllo, where we can demonstrate our combined marketing and regulatory expertise.”

Meanwhile, Chad Bronstein, Fyllo’s founder and CEO, shared that as Fyllo continues to expand across the globe, they are looking for the best talent that fully understands the local and regional context, and can make the connection between high-growth brands and progressive consumers.

“Robert is perfectly suited for the challenge, and has a strong track record in building businesses and developing partnerships across the region. We are looking forward to Robert bringing the Fyllo story to life in the Asia Pacific,” said Bronstein.

Singapore – Virtue, the agency powered by VICE Media Group, has appointed Ann May Chua, former head of integrated production at WPP’s marketing production arm Hogarth Worldwide, to be the new head of production across the APAC region, driving creative excellence.

In her new role, Chua will be growing and accelerating Virtue APAC’s production capabilities, while tapping into the unique production expertise of Vice Media Group. A key member of the APAC leadership team, she will be working with the creative and account management teams to elevate creative output and production value.

Chua is a seasoned producer with experience in advertising, content, activation, audio, and post-production. Aside from her previous stint at Hogarth Worldwide, she has also worked at agencies including BBDO Singapore, Saatchi & Saatchi, and MassiveMusic Singapore.

Commenting on her appointment, Chua said, “Virtue builds brands from inside culture and has a reputation for producing more valued and visible cultural output for these brands. I’m looking forward to partnering with the team and building the creative production credentials for our clients.”

Meanwhile, Lesley John, Virtue APAC’s managing director, noted that they place a strong emphasis on production which brings to life the vision of their creatives while effectively connecting brands with audiences. 

“Ann May is highly experienced and will drive our production capabilities to new levels. I’m delighted to welcome her to Virtue APAC as we continue to deliver for our growing portfolio of global and regional clients,” said John.

In July 2022, Virtue has also promoted Fiona Knight, former business director at Virtue Japan, to the newly created role of head of account management for APAC. She will be driving commercial and operational excellence, including building the account management team, developing client partnerships and collaboration, and senior oversight on key accounts including Coca-Cola and Shiseido.

Singapore – Digital media platform in SEA, RICE Media, has announced two leadership promotions, which include Khai Asyraf, former client services director, being its new managing director, and Ilyas Sholihyn, former branded content strategist, being its new editor-in-chief.

In his new role, Asyraf will be bringing his creative production and business development expertise in his new role to spearhead new commercial partnerships, initiatives, and opportunities. Moreover, under Khai’s leadership, RICE Media will formally embark on an expansion plan across the region.

Asyraf said that through their product innovation and distinctive content, they offer digital marketing and media consultancy solutions for agencies and brands, and they will continue expanding their diverse range of clients—from travel and lifestyle brands to the banking, finance, and insurance industry.

“The disruption of the pandemic offers an unparalleled opportunity for transformation and reinvention. On this note, I will focus on expanding commercial opportunities in Southeast Asia, elevating our creators’ capabilities in the region,” he added.

Meanwhile, with a decade of experience in regional newsrooms and digital publications, Sholihyn will be driving the content direction in RICE Media and refining its impactful, quality storytelling across diverse topic verticals.

Sholihyn noted that since 2016, RICE Media has been a platform that challenges perspectives through unfiltered, unconventional journalism, and they’ve matured as a brand, building on that foundation with a sharper focus on delivering thoughtful content while still balancing their business objectives.

“In that spirit, we want to collaborate with brands and government agencies to help people understand culture better by providing searing clarity and nuance while going deeper into pertinent issues of the day to unearth something new—all through the power of creative non-fiction,” he said.

Under Asyraf and Sholihyn, RICE Media is also set to grow Storytellers, a mentorship programme that teams up with local companies and community organisations to nurture potential creative talents from all backgrounds. The publication will also be officially establishing a branded content studio to offer partnering brands its expertise in cultural storytelling and digital content. 

RICE Media’s founder, Mark Tan, has initiated the changing of guards, as part of an internal company restructure to support the next step of the publication’s evolution. He said that the platform is embarking on a regional expansion that will see them bring its brand of irreverent, impact journalism to key markets in SEA, and this requires a strong, innovative management team that understands the region’s cultural nuances.

“Aside from their years of experience in the industry, Khai and Ilyas bring an in-depth understanding of local and regional audiences and a penchant for taking creative risks. Under their leadership, our audience and partners can expect greater diversity in our topic coverage, as well as more dynamic storytelling that pushes both creative and cultural boundaries,” added Tan.

Hong Kong – Mediabrands, the media and marketing solutions division of Interpublic Group, has unveiled three executive leadership promotions, which are in line with the agency’s growth plans for the Greater China network.

The appointees include Joanne Tong, the new managing director for Hong Kong, Penny Chow, the new managing director for Taiwan, and Man Leung, the new head of Reprise and Initiative for Hong Kong.

Promoted from her prior position as head of strategy at Mediabrands Hong Kong and Taiwan, Tong will be charged with the growth leadership of the Mediabrands Hong Kong agency network, drawing upon her 20 years of specialised marketing and advertising industry experience across renowned 4A’s agencies and corporate behemoths.

Meanwhile, adding to her previous remit leading Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS) for Hong Kong and Taiwan, Chow will be extending her role to include managing director of the Mediabrands agency network in Taiwan. His 20-year career in media and advertising has encompassed celebrated collaborations with numerous brand giants including Disney and Coca-Cola.

And lastly, from his prior role as head of business development for Hong Kong and Taiwan, Leung has been promoted to a broader leadership role as head of Reprise and Initiative at Hong Kong, where he will utilise his over 19 years of industry experience specialising in building the digital infrastructure for data-driven marketing solutions, to drive the transformational, digital, and performance media growth across the Reprise and Initiative agencies in the Hong Kong market.

Melinda Po, CEO of Mediabrands for Greater China, shared that this newly embedded local market leadership is a testament to the growth and diversification of their agency network offering across the greater China region. 

“It has been extremely gratifying to find exactly the right leadership talent we needed to drive this growth from within our own agency network, not only providing the development opportunity for our own people to grow and assume broader leadership responsibilities but also utilising their deep expertise and understanding of our product offering, our culture, in addition to the local market growth opportunities,” added Po.

Mumbai, India – Media network Omnicom Media Group (OMG) in India has appointed Anand Chakravarthy, former managing director at Essence, to be its new chief growth officer. 

In his new role, Chakravarthy is set to use his strategic foresight and over two decades of industry experience to create new opportunities for growth and play an instrumental role in shaping OMG India’s future trajectory. He will be reporting directly to Kartik Sharma, group CEO of OMG India. 

Chakravarthy has over 24 years of experience in the media and advertising industry and has worked with many reputable businesses, all of which witnessed exponential growth under his guidance. He has also led many profitable businesses, including during his leadership stints at Essence Global, Wavemaker, and Reliance Broadcast Network. Chakravarthy’s strength lies in his ability to formulate crucial strategies that help businesses scale up and become sustainable in an extremely competitive market.

Commenting on his appointment, Chakravarthy said that he is thrilled to be a part of OMG India, as the network is recognised globally for its thought leadership and building future forward capabilities – a critical need in the industry today. 

“Working in this ecosystem with this team and leveraging these capabilities to help brands evolve without any limitations is a fantastic opportunity. I look forward to fully committing to OMG’s vision and pushing the boundaries of innovation & growth,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sharma said, “I am delighted to welcome Anand on board. His extensive knowledge, values-based leadership style and commitment to delivering results will undoubtedly be a great asset to our business going forward. His work speaks for itself and shows that he has the propensity to lead and help companies capitalize on new growth opportunities in an emerging market.”