Tag: Leadership

Sydney, Australia – Brand and digital studio Koto has announced the appointment of Melissa Baillache as executive creative director for APAC to expand the studio’s presence in key regional markets.

In her new appointment, Baillache will be based at the Sydney studio and will spearhead Koto APAC’s creative efforts, working closely with Damian Borchok, Koto APAC managing director, and Gerald Torto, senior strategy director, as integral members of the studio’s senior leadership team.

Baillache brings with her over 15 years of experience with branding, digital, and advertising, allowing her to focus on turning challenges into transformative solutions that prioritise human experiences. She has a firm belief in a design’s capacity to challenge conventional thinking and drive meaningful change.

Prior to her appointment, she had several collaborations with a wide range of domestic and international clients, such as Culture Amp, Macau Grand Prix Museum, the NSW Government, and the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre. Some of her recent and notable clients are Netflix, Tech Central, Sydney Film Festival, Blue Mountains Council, and The U Group.

Her work encompasses the creation of new brands, the design of immersive physical experiences, and the reimagining of products. She has garnered various recognitions from international award bodies and is committed to design education, serving as a mentor and guest lecturer for D&AD New Blood, dedicated to nurturing the next generation of creatives.

Baillache also reunites with Damian Borchock, with whom she had a successful eight-year collaboration when she formerly served as executive creative director at For The People.

Koto’s appointment of Baillache comes as the studio aims to expand its presence in key regional markets, including Australia, India, Singapore, and South Korea.

Speaking of the new hire, Damian Borchok said, “It’s great to be working with Mel again. We both see so much potential to build on Koto’s reputation for collaborating with startups and scaleups looking for breakthrough success. APAC is home to some of the most dynamic economies in the world. We’re keen to be part of making it equally one of the most dynamic regions for brands. ”

Also commenting on her new role, Baillache shared, “Koto is that rare type of business that chooses to lean all the way into an optimistic and creative culture to create brands that better serve both clients and the people they exist for. And the work is world-class. So, the opportunity to build on their already impressive track record with a distinctive APAC flavour is a very compelling one, if you ask me. One impossible to say no to. I couldn’t be more excited to join Koto in this new chapter, partnering with the brilliant leadership team of Damian and G.”

Manila, Philippines – Global content and commerce company Gushcloud has appointed Joseph Max Webb as its head of business development in the Philippines, as well as its de facto local leader of the local operations for the company.

In his capacity, Webb will oversee brand deals, integrated marketing campaigns, social media, and account management.

He has recently sealed and launched a campaign with local pharmaceutical company Unilab, most notably the Tuseran “Beat the Pro” web series featuring comedy icon Ruffa Mae Quinto. He also led Spotify Philippines’s recent musical activation in collaboration with Spotify and global KPop girl group NewJeans.

Prior to his appointment, Webb served as Gushcloud’s global business development manager for two years. During his time, he won the agency pitch for Tencent, a multinational technology, entertainment, and holding company based in China. 

He also brokered a partnership with Hip Hop icon and legend Snoop Dogg with Novelship, Singapore’s leading sneaker marketplace. Furthermore, he locked in Korean online fashion platform MUSINSA which tapped Gushcloud as a digital partner in Southeast Asia.

Speaking on his new role, Webb said, “This is an immense responsibility but I am prepared to take it on. I’m grateful for the support I get from my team and our regional colleagues, and the trust of our new and long-term clients. This is only the start of bigger milestones for Gushcloud Philippines.”

Meanwhile, Oddie Randa, regional director for Asia-Pacific at Gushcloud, commented, “We are eager to finally introduce Max as our new leader in Gushcloud Philippines. We know that his youthful energy, dynamic work ethics, and network will turn things around for our Manila office.”

He added, “Of course, he can expect our commitment, support, and guidance to ensure that the Philippines is always in sync with the rest of the region, so we can truly make Gushcloud not just a regional but also a global leader in content, commerce, and entertainment.”

Lastly, Gay Carr, chief people pfficer at Gushcloud International, said, “I am absolutely certain that Max will excel in his leadership post. He possesses the crucial integrity of character required for the role, coupled with high competence, a strong drive for performance, and a natural ability to connect with others while genuinely caring for their wellbeing. His primary focus is not on self-promotion, but rather on enhancing the team’s performance for the greater good of the organisation.”

Australia – Alan Joyce, the current chief executive officer of Qantas has announced that he is stepping down from his role fom the company. This comes after the Australian flag carrier came under pressure from legal proceedings made by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over its alleged misleading advertising of tickets.

According to a press statement from Qantas, Joyce will be replaced by Vanessa Hudson, who now takes the role of managing director and group CEO for the airline. This takes effect on September 6 this year.

In a statement by Joyce, he said that the focus on Qantas and events of the past make it clear to him that the company needs to move ahead with its renewal as a priority.

“The best thing I can do under these circumstances is to bring forward my retirement and hand over to Vanessa and the new management team now, knowing they will do an excellent job,” he said.

He added, “There is a lot I am proud of over my 22 years at Qantas, including the past 15 years as CEO. There have been many ups and downs, and there is clearly much work still to be done, especially to make sure we always deliver for our customers. But I leave knowing that the company is fundamentally strong and has a bright future.”

Meanwhile, Richard Goyder, chairman at Qantas, commented, “Alan has always had the best interests of Qantas front and centre, and today shows that. On behalf of the Board, we sincerely thank him for his leadership through some enormous challenges and for thinking well-ahead on opportunities like ultra long-haul travel.”

He added, “This transition comes at what is obviously a challenging time for Qantas and its people. We have an important job to do in restoring the public’s confidence in the kind of company we are, and that’s what the Board is focused on, and what the management under Vanessa’s leadership will do.”

Last week, the ACCC filed an action against Qantas at the Federal Court of Australia over the airline’s misleading conduct of advertising tickets for more than 8,000 flights that it had already cancelled but not removed from sale.

According to the commission, Qantas kept selling tickets on its website for an average of more than two weeks, and in some cases for up to 47 days, after the cancellation of the flights.

It also alleges that for about 70% of cancelled flights, Qantas either continued to sell tickets for the flight on its website for two days or more, or delayed informing existing ticketholders that their flight was cancelled for two days or more, or both.

Speaking on their investigation, ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlie said, “We allege that Qantas’ conduct in continuing to sell tickets to cancelled flights, and not updating ticketholders about cancelled flights, left customers with less time to make alternative arrangements and may have led to them paying higher prices to fly at a particular time not knowing that flight had already been cancelled.”

In response, Qantas previously said that during the ACCC conducted the investigation, it was a time of unprecedented upheaval for the entire airline industry, and that they have always practiced a longstanding approach to managing cancellations for flights, with a focus on providing customers with rebooking options or refunds.

“All airlines were experiencing well-publicised issues from a very challenging restart, with ongoing border uncertainty, industry wide staff shortages and fleet availability causing a lot of disruption,” the company said back then.

Manila, Philippines – Ayala Land has welcomed Anna Ma. Margarita B. Dy as its new chief executive officer, the first female leader to hold such position in the company. She replaces Bernard Vincent O. Dy, who retires from the company after 26 years in the company — nine of which dedicated as the company’s president and CEO.

In a letter sent to employees by Ayala Land Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, he expressed his trust and high confidence in the company’s newly appointed chief.

“Meean’s extensive experience encompasses pivotal leadership roles within the Strategic Landbank Management Group. She played a key role in launching critical projects in our portfolio, such as BGC, Nuvali, Vertis, and Arca South. Her journey continued as she led the Residential Business Group and, more recently, assumed leadership over the Malls, Offices, and the Hotels and Resorts Group,” he said.

Zobel added, “With Meean at the helm, I am confident that Ayala Land will continue to have meaningful impact in all the lives and communities we touch.”

As Ayala practices deliberate and effective succession planning across its business units, next-generation leaders are given exposure to the entire Ayala ecosystem. Upon her appointment as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company, Meean had since been included in the regular meetings of the Ayala Group Management Committee and involved in key decisions concerning the entire ecosystem.

Zobel also expressed his gratitude to Bobby for the service he has dones, saying, “During the pandemic years, Bobby guaranteed the health and safety of our employees, and supported our merchants, suppliers and the local communities we operated in. He was at the forefront of our sustainability initiatives as he boldly implemented a 5-year plan to achieve carbon neutrality for our commercial properties, which we achieved 1 year ahead of the target.”

Singapore – Global advertising agency Havas has announced the promotion of Darrell Nelson as the CEO of Havas Japan, and Aga Giedroyc as the CEO of Havas Thailand, taking over former Havas Thailand CEO, Santiphong Pimolsaengsuriya.

These appointments follow Havas’ recent leadership appointments in Malaysia and Cambodia, moving towards its growth plan in the involved regions.

In his new role, Nelson will collaborate closely with his teams to drive new business and local client strategies, focusing on leveraging Havas’ integrated capabilities for growth. He will also continue to serve as the APAC head of cultural strategy.

Meanwhile, Giedroyc is now tasked with leading Havas Thailand’s business operations and implementing comprehensive plans for growth. Her experience with Havas has played a crucial role in catalyzing the agency’s transformation, forging trusted relationships with clients, and spearheading digital capabilities across the network. She will also be continuing her current role as the EVP of corporate development for Havas SEA, Japan, and Korea. 

Speaking on his appointment, Nelson said, “I am thrilled to take on the leadership role and contribute to Havas’ ongoing expansion in Japan. I feel incredibly fortunate to already have an amazing and diverse team in place, dedicated to driving impactful and creative work for a great roster of clients here in Japan.”

“Our integrated Village model, which seamlessly combines creative and media efforts while collaborating with our Vivendi partners, continues to be the driving force for growth. As we continue to expand with new offerings in market, we are in a great place to continue the momentum we have in Japan and across the region right now”, he added. 

Also sharing her thoughts on her promotion, Giedroyc mentioned, I am eagerly anticipating this journey, where I’ll work alongside a remarkable team to infuse Thailand’s unique creativity into Havas’ ethos, ensuring we continue to shape meaningful brands that truly matter through a synergy of creativity, media, and entertainment.”

Meanwhile, Alberto Canteli, CEO/chairman Havas, Nordics, CEE & Middle East, SEA, Korea & Japan, commented, “The new leadership structure aims to accelerate the development of the collaborative Village model and strengthen our position in the crucial Southeast Asian and North Asian markets. Darrell has consistently demonstrated his commercial acumen and ability to grow our business in Japan. Aga’s proven ability to build and enhance capabilities in the region will augment our value proposition in Thailand and reinforce our commitment to creative excellence and smart media accountability for growth and momentum.”

Hong Kong – TBWA\Hong Kong has announced key role elevations across its team. They include executive creative director Jerome Ooi as chief creative experience officer; business director Jan Lee as general manager; head of digital Anne Chan as head of growth and product; managing director Jan Cho as global head of product and delivery.

Under the leadership of Jan and the management team, TBWA\Hong Kong has been an innovation beacon across the global collective, successfully reshaping its capabilities from communications to brand experience through to innovation product offerings including the design and experience offering DxD, in-house film content studio BOLT, business consulting service Disruption® Consulting and more recently PLEX, a global product with a B2B focus.

Joanne Lao, chief executive officer, TBWA\Greater China: “It’s with great pride we’re in a position to announce the elevation of key members of our Hong Kong team who have been instrumental in driving the strategy to reshape our Hong Kong operation to create impact for our clients’ businesses, securing them a greater share of the future.”

She added, “The growth of our people has a direct correlation with the growth and success of our agency. The elevation of these roles reflects our determination to lead in creative brand experience, backed by a strong team with an unwavering commitment to innovation that delivers unique solutions for clients. These are well-deserved promotions with a highly talented team who have a strong and proven track record.”

Meanwhile, Sean Donovan, president at TBWA\Asia, commented, “It’s incredibly rewarding to witness not only the growth and adaptability of our Hong Kong operation, but the growth of our people who have been imperative in shaping our agency for the future by embracing and thriving through the disruptive challenges of the last few years.

Singapore – DHL Global Forwarding, the freight specialist arm of DHL Group, has announced three strategic leadership appointments in Asia Pacific: Karsten Michaelis as the new president and representative director of DHL Global Forwarding Japan; Edwin Pinto as managing director of DHL Global Forwarding India; and Praveen Gregory as the new SVP Ocean Freight of DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. 

The new appointments are in line with the upcoming retirements of Kelvin Leung, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific, and Charles Kauffman, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding North Asia and South Pacific (NASP). He will step down from his role after more than five decades of valued service to the group.

Kaufmann will hand over country responsibility for Japan to his successor, Karsten Michaelis, while continuing to look after the cluster until the end of the year.

Michaelis will take over Kauffman’s role as president and representative director at DHL Global Forwarding Japan. In his new role, Karsten will be based in Japan and report to Charles Kaufmann.

Michaelis carries with him an extensive career spanning over two decades in the logistics sector. He has been based primarily in the Asia-Pacific region, in locations such as Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Australia, and Singapore. Since joining the group in 2011, Karsten has taken on several managerial roles for Ocean Freight in Asia Pacific, including his most recent position as SVP, Ocean Freight DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific, in 2017.

On the other hand, Edwin Pinto’s appointment as the new managing director for DHL Global Forwarding India comes after the promotion of Niki Frank as the new CEO at DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. He is set to assume his new role by September 2023 in India, and he will report directly to Niki Frank.

Pinto is currently serving as the head of sales and marketing at DHL Global Forwarding in Thailand and Indochina. He joined DHL in 2001 in India and has since worked in several management roles across DHL Global Forwarding. 

Working for the automotive sector, Pinto gained experience across various positions until being named sector director DGF for the South Asia, Pacific, and Africa region in 2010. As of 2012, he was promoted to head of key account management at DGF India. Prior to his current role, Edwin relocated to Thailand in 2014, working as Director of Commercial and Customer Program Management at DGF. 

Meanwhile, Praveen Gregory will also assume his new position as SVP Ocean Freight at DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific by September 2023.

In his new role, Praveen will be based in Singapore and will report directly to Niki Frank, with a dotted line to Casper Ellerbaek, the EVP Global Ocean Freight at DHL Global Forwarding.

Before joining DHL Group in Dubai Ocean Freight Operations in 2008, Praveen had worked for Maersk. In 2010, he relocated to Germany and held several roles in market intelligence and strategy and product development. He moved to Hong Kong in 2018 to take on regional management roles in Ocean Commercial Center and Account Management ISC. In 2022, he assumed his current position as VP Order Management Solutions Asia Pacific.

Speaking on the appointment, Niki Frank said, “With Kelvin and Charles retiring this year, it has opened up a few key positions that we had to fill, and I am glad that we could do so with candidates from the network. This goes to show that we can nurture and retain talent while providing the right opportunities for growth to our employees.” 

“All of them bring the right experience, the required expertise and will provide a fresh perspective to these roles,” he added. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Mercedes-Benz has appointed Amanda Zhang to the roles of CEO and president of Mercedes-Benz Cars Malaysia and head of region of Mercedes-Benz Cars SEA II. This took effect last 1 August.

Zhang’s appointment marks a progression of the current CEO, Sagree Sardien, who will advance to the position of head of region overseas at Mercedes-Benz Cars in Stuttgart, Germany.

Prior to this, Zhang served as the CEO at Mercedes-Benz Romania overseeing four business divisions. During her tenure, Zhang and her team generated significant momentum, achieving a robust double-digit growth in both sales and customer services. She also effectively implemented the electrification strategy within a demanding market landscape and played a pivotal role in revitalizing the dealer network in the Romanian market.

Speaking on her roles, Zhang said, “I am truly honoured to take on this new role in Malaysia and SEA II. Having been part of Mercedes-Benz’s remarkable journey in the Central & Eastern Europe Cluster, I am now eager to lead the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia team and join forces with our retail partners to continue our pursuit of excellence for this dynamic and vibrant market. 

She added, “I firmly believe that innovation, customer-centricity, and sustainable growth are the cornerstones of success, and I am committed to fostering a culture that embraces these values at every level of the organisation.”

Meanwhile, Sardien commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Amanda Zhang to the helm of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia. Her extensive leadership experience and strategic acumen will undoubtedly further support to drive our company forward in the dynamic Malaysian market. I am confident that under her guidance, the company will continue to flourish and uphold its reputation for innovation and excellence.”

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – Publicis Groupe Vietnam has announced key changes its senior leadership which will aim at boosting the agency’s strategic, creative and growth offerings in the local market. They include Pepper Feraren as its chief strategy officer, elevations of Paolo Garcia as chief creative officer and Julian Brzoska as chief growth officer; and Chandu Rajapreyar as executive creative director.

Feraren joins Publicis Groupe Vietnam to raise the rigour and progressiveness of its strategic planning product and build a strong culture of effectiveness. He comes with two decades of experience that covers multiple planning disciplines from brand to transformational channel strategy. 

He has spent most of his career at BBDO Guerrero Manila with a stint at BBH Singapore, a Publicis Groupe agency. He has led campaigns that have won a variety of strategic and creative awards.

“Vietnam is an extremely dynamic and fast-growing market making it a hotbed for creativity. I’m excited to join Publicis Groupe, which is at the forefront of this with a talented and decorated planning team. Together we will continue to provide human understanding of a rapidly changing consumer and direct this energy into creative business solutions for our clients and their brands,” he said.

Meanwhile, Garcia brings with him 24 years of creative experience and a portfolio of work that has been awarded across international creative festivals. Paolo has also served on the jury at the world’s biggest award shows including Cannes Lions. He has become an influential creative force in the market and continues to be instrumental in placing Vietnam on the global radar for work and talent. 

Prior to his elevation, Paolo was the creative leader for Leo Burnett for over a decade. In his Groupe role, Paolo will continue to raise the creative bar while cultivating the diversity of over 100 creative talents at Publicis Groupe Vietnam. 

He reports directly to Ajay Thrivikraman, chief creative officer for Southeast Asia at Publicis Groupe.

“Paolo stepping up as CCO for the Groupe in Vietnam feels like the most natural thing in the world. It’s a role that he has made his own through over a decade of sleeves-rolled-up commitment not just to the creative product, but to helping build an agency, expanding its capabilities and skillsets, nurturing, and growing talent and consistently delivering fresh and innovative work on our biggest clients, all in one of the fastest-evolving environments in the region,” Thrivikraman said.

Chandu is a multi-awarded creative bringing home wins for Leo Burnett’s key clients Heineken and Samsung. His passionate and perseverant outlook towards life has led him to take up new challenges at Leo Burnett Vietnam over the past five years since joining as creative director.

Lastly, Brzoska started in the digital and innovations unit of Leo Burnett in 2012 and helped establish the Groupe’s bespoke operations for Samsung before setting up Digitas Vietnam in 2019. In his new role, he will continue architecting synergies between the Groupe’s data, tech and commerce solutions to power up creative, media and digital operations and spearhead go-to-market plans that deliver sustainable success and fulfil Publicis Groupe’s promise to help clients thrive in the platform world.

Kate Bayona-Garcia, CEO of Publicis Groupe Vietnam, said, “After our winning streak last year, we need to set the next benchmark. Publicis Groupe has been the vanguard of the industry’s digitalization and transformation in Vietnam and it’s even becoming more crucial to lead its evolution by weaponizing data, commerce and technology fused with human centric experiences that build brands in this modern era.”

She added, “Paolo and Julian have been phenomenal  partners over the last decade pioneering groundbreaking first-in-market work in the country. The  pivotal addition of Pepper to power up strategic thinking is imperative for unlocking the immense opportunities and overcoming the pressing challenges that our clients face today.”

California, USA – John Warnock, one of the co-founders of global computer software company Adobe, has passed away at the age of 82, the company has publicly announced. Warnock was one of the company’s co-founders alongside Charles Geschke. Together they founded Adobe in 1982.

In a publicly-released letter by current Adobe chair and CEO Shantanu Narayen, he said that Warnock’s passing has been a sad day for the Adobe community and the industry for which he has been an inspiration for decades.

“While the impact that his innovations have had are countless, it is his indomitable spirit, passion and belief in building a company with strong values that has impacted all of us who have had the good fortune of working at Adobe. John was incredibly insightful on which technologies would delight customers as well as create business value,” he said.

He also added, “As I reflect on this loss that will leave a huge void in our lives, I think back to a few months ago when I saw John for the 30th anniversary of Acrobat. After the event, where we celebrated the impact of Acrobat and PDF on the world of communication, we talked about the potential of Firefly to transform the next generation of creative technology. With a twinkle in his eye, he said that he was amazed with the progress and as always had feedback on how we could make it better.”

When Warnock and Geschke founded the company, their first product was Adobe PostScript, which helped spark the desktop publishing revolution.

Warnock retired as CEO in 2000 and he was chairman of the board, a position he shared with Geschke until 2017. He was a member of the board of directors at Adobe since then.