Tag: Leadership

Singapore – Digital ad verification and fraud prevention platform Trafficguard has appointed Elie Shuggi as its new chief product officer. He will be responsible for scaling the company’s product offerings and supporting its growth globally. 

Elie brings over 20 years of experience leading global products in major Fortune 500 companies across banking, insurance, and e-commerce. This appointment comes just weeks after the company announced an AU$3m funding raise to support its growing roster of global blue chip clients such as entertainment giant Disney, online travel leader Lux Escapes, and sports betting businesses such as William Hill and Better Collective.

In his new role, Shuggi will be in charge of growing TrafficGuard’s organisational and product capabilities including advancing a ‘Self Serve’ product designed for SMEs, and a social product, focussing on the rampant ad fraud problem impacting social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 

Commenting on his appointment, Shuggi said, “I’m thrilled to be a part of this high-performing company and its mission. Helping develop and scale the business’s product portfolio is a challenge I’m truly looking forward to tackling, with the added benefit of working alongside a talented, high-calibre team.”

Mat Ratty, CEO of TrafficGuard, shared that ad fraud is in many ways, a pandemic – one that is affecting companies more than anyone thinks and impacting traditional metrics which govern spend and investment, and it is a $127b problem plaguing the advertising industry today and they are at the forefront of disruption and innovation in this space. 

“TrafficGuard is fast becoming the measurement and verification tool of choice for enterprises and SMEs globally. We are in rapid growth mode, and Elie’s experience will complement and drive our product ambition forward – especially towards SMEs, who are the hardest hit by bad actors in ad fraud. We are excited to welcome him to the TrafficGuard team and look forward to bolstering our product portfolio and truly helping brands reach their maximum market potential,” said Ratty.

TrafficGuard said that this is its third key leadership hire after the recent promotion of Matt Sutton to chief operations officer and the hiring of Chadwick Kinlay as chief marketing officer. Together, they bring over 25 years of experience and world-class leadership to the business.

Massachusetts, United States – Tripadvisor, a travel guidance platform, has named John Borris, a veteran of the technology, travel, and hospitality industries, as its new chief marketing officer, taking on the responsibility for heading the platform’s B2C and B2B marketing strategy and execution.

Boris will be focusing on developing a comprehensive strategy for driving customer acquisition and engagement, marketing efficiency, brand reach and resonance, partnerships, and expanding the international customer opportunity.

On his new role as the company’s new CMO, Boris said, “I am truly honoured to join this company and humbled to be given the responsibility to continue to make an iconic and industry-leading brand like Tripadvisor essential to the hundreds of millions of travellers around the globe using our products and services to plan their next trip. As we look to the future of all our brands across the company, we will leverage the return of global demand to make the experience of travel and dining more meaningful and memorable for those taking their next holiday or vacation.”

Boris has held a number of c-suite and executive leadership positions throughout his career. He was instrumental in Shutterfly, an Internet-based social expression and personal publishing company, to its growth and transformation into an industry leader as its chief marketing officer. 

Within his experience, Boris also oversaw Zagat, a restaurant discovery platform, to its digital transformation in web, mobile, and subscription, as its senior vice president of marketing, enabling the company to become the omni-channel leader in restaurant reviews and ratings. He has also held a number of senior operational positions. Boris became the CEO of IfOnly, a bespoke experience marketplace acquired by Mastercard in 2019.

Boris will be reporting directly to Matt Goldberg, CEO of Tripadvisor, Inc. 

Goldberg said, “I’m excited to have John join Tripadvisor as our Chief Marketing Officer, knowing he will put the needs of travellers and our partners at the heart of everything we do. John has a demonstrated track record building global brands and this company will benefit from his deep experience in e-commerce, travel and hospitality. Most importantly, John is passionate about Tripadvisor given the global strength of our brand, our wealth of data, depth of content, and the innovative products and services we provide the travellers, experience-seekers, diners and partners we serve.”

Singapore – Edelman in Singapore has appointed Amanda Koh as its newest head of technology. In her new role, she will be building on the agency’s strong technology sector capability and expertise. She will report to Julia Wei, CEO of Edelman Singapore.

Koh returns to Edelman after seven years in-house, and most recently comes from being the Asia Pacific & Middle East Head of Marketing and Communications at Vodafone. She had previously spent nine years at Edelman – both in Singapore and Sydney. In this time, she was responsible for leading key client relationships across Edelman’s spectrum of offerings, from media relations to content and digital.

Speaking on her appointment, she said, “Edelman was the place where I fostered my love of technology, especially its far-reaching impact on societies, workplaces and business. It is therefore incredibly exciting to get the opportunity to return and lead the growth of Edelman’s technology sector, working technology companies and leaders to deliver on people’s expectations for societal impact and responsible leadership.”

Meanwhile, Wei commented, “I am thrilled to have Amanda return to Edelman to lead our teams in a very pivotal moment in time for the technology sector, amidst increased expectations for technology leaders to communicate the societal impact of innovation and address concerns on issues like data privacy and automation to build trust.”

She added, “Amanda will be instrumental in Edelman Singapore’s next chapter of growth and innovation – both for our culture and our capabilities, as we continue to bolster sector specialism in areas like technology.”

Recent Edelman appointments in the APAC region include those in the integrated creative team in Hong Kong, health leadership appointments in APAC, and the appointment of Warren Fernandez as CEO for APAC.

Australia – Non-profit research-based media outlet The Conversation has appointed Margy Vary as its new chief marketing officer for Australia and New Zealand. Prior to that role, she was working for a consultant for the company.

In her new role, Vary will be leading the publication’s marketing and reader revenue strategy in the region, and will be reporting to editor Misha Ketchell.

In addition, the role includes responsibility for driving audience growth, digital engagement, customer experience, as well as leading The Conversation’s donations strategy.

She was previously the marketing director of Guardian Australia, where she overlooked the local marketing and comms strategy during a period of rapid audience growth and development of the successful reader revenue strategy. She also has 20 years of experience in advertising and marketing, including launching Virgin Atlantic in Australia and developing creative campaigns at Host in Australia and Lowe in London.

Speaking on her new role, she said, “The Conversation has the best business model for sustaining public interest journalism, as a charity that’s not dependent on advertising revenue. I’m excited to join a team of experts with a culture of collaboration that is ideally suited to the challenges of these times, when the future of public interest journalism is under threat and Australians are more than ever crying out for facts over opinions and expertise over agendas.”

Meanwhile, Ketchell commented, “It’s the perfect time to welcome Margy to The Conversation. With so much disruption in public interest journalism and so many new developments in reader revenue happening around the world, her expertise will ensure The Conversation stays ahead of the game.” 

She added, “Margy’s track record in converting audience relationships into reliable and sustainable revenue streams will ensure we remain self-sufficient and not susceptible to the politics of funding. Margy brings a track record in creative, purpose-driven marketing that will be a huge asset in helping to differentiate the Conversation’s fact-based news by experts, which is needed now more than ever.”

Lisa Watts, CEO at The Conversation Media Group, said, “In 10 years we’ve gone from being a small startup to a global network with millions of monthly readers, and since COVID-19 The Conversation’s audience has doubled as people turn to experts for information they can trust. As an NFP our work is free to read and free to republish but we rely on support from donors and readers, and this role helps keep our work free and available to everyone. Margy is a great addition to the team, she brings deep expertise and we’re all very excited to work with her.”

Seattle, USA – Amperity, the leading customer data platform (CDP) for enterprise consumer brands, today announced the hiring of Megan McDonagh and Seema Kumar to be part of their global leadership roster. Together, the two bring extensive expertise within their respective industries to Amperity’s growing leadership team.

McDonagh will serve as the company’s chief marketing officer, while Kumar will serve as the company’s chief people officer.

“The company is experiencing unprecedented growth, and we are thrilled to welcome both Seema and Megan to the team as we take Amperity and the customer data platform category to the next level,” said Barry Padgett, CEO at Amperity. 

“Both have a successful track record for building and scaling organizations to support rapid growth, and equally important, they share in our mission to help people use data to serve the customer. I look forward to working with them as we elevate our brand awareness around the globe, and continue to demonstrate why Amperity is a great place to work,” Padgett added.

McDonagh is a seasoned marketing executive with a strong track record of innovation, creativity, and growth acceleration with industry-leading tech companies. She is known for building enduring customer-centric brands, driving results-focused marketing programs, delivering rewarding customer and partner experiences, and inspiring high-performing global teams. Most recently, McDonagh served as CMO at RealWear, the leading provider of assisted reality wearable solutions and before this spent over 20 years at Intel in various marketing leadership roles.

“Amperity represents a perfect trifecta with an extremely passionate customer base, differentiated mission-critical technology, and a vibrant culture powered by dedicated employees who love doing what’s right for our customers,” said McDonagh.

“I am incredibly excited about the opportunity at Amperity and the scale the company has achieved to date. I look forward to bringing my experience to Amperity and helping enterprise brands drive exponential impact by realizing the full value we can bring to their business.”

Meanwhile, Kumar brings more than 20 years of people operations and human resources experience to Amperity. In her role, she will oversee all workplace and people operations, including recruiting, benefits and rewards, organizational and people development, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Most recently, she served as vice president, human resources at F5 Networks. In that role, she led initiatives to attract and develop talent and to shape the culture for accelerated business growth and transformation. 

“We’re at a unique point in time where we have the ability to impact and embrace how we think about the future of work, and how we create a truly inclusive environment where we can thrive—both personally and professionally,” said Kumar. “I’ve been truly impressed and energized with the emphasis the executive team places on its people, company values and mission. I’m excited to join at this time of growth, and partner with team members of all levels to ensure Amperity continues to be a place where everyone is empowered to do their life’s best work.” 

Cologne, Denmark – Global brand experience agency Uniplan has appointed Katja Sassi-Bucsit as its new director of global communications. In her new role, she will continue to apply her expertise and lay special focus on brand positioning and the further development of internal and external communication in China.

Before joining Uniplan, the experienced manager worked in various leadership roles in the Chinese Mainland for many years, amongst others, in the management team of Vok Dams China. 

Sassi-Bucsit will be reporting directly to CEO Europe Rüdiger Maeßen and will also closely cooperate with the entire management board of the agency around owner and group CEO Christian Zimmermann and additionally the managing director for China, Sonny Shen. 

She relieves Olaf Pempel, who is leaving the agency after one year to pursue a solo venture as PR consultant in Austria.

Speaking on her appointment, she said, “China and event communication have been accompanying me for 20 years now. I am happy that Uniplan is providing me the opportunity to add value through my extensive expertise and to build bridges between my two homes. This is a real dream role for me.”

Meanwhile, Maeßen commented, “I am very happy to have Katja, a respected China expert, on board, as China is still a key market for us. In business and culture alike, the country remains very dynamic. Katja possesses the necessary knowledge and experience to create an integrated communication strategy. I thank Olaf for the strategic sail setting and for laying the foundations of our communication strategy in the past twelve months.”

Melbourne, Australia – Integrated creative, brand, PR, and digital agency Icon Agency welcomed award-winning creative Scott Pritchett as its new senior art director.

Pritchett is expected to elevate Icon’s offering of creative and integrated services across the board, as he will oversee the design and art direction of the company’s creative projects.

Before joining Icon, Pritchett was a senior art director at VMLY&R Melbourne and held the art director role at Dentsu. He also earned numerous recognitions in international award-giving bodies such as One Show, Spikes, AWARD, and Cannes Young Lions, amongst others. 

Icon’s Creative Director Andrew North said, “We’re very happy to welcome Scott to Icon. His previous work is a testament to his skill and we believe his guidance and oversight will support our entire creative team, who continue to produce high quality work across our entire client portfolio.” 

“Icon is committed to solving complex communications challenges, which requires diverse expertise and strong senior leadership. Scott brings a wealth of both,” North added.

Joanne Painter, Icon’s group managing director, also commented,  “Senior appointments like Scott’s are a vital part of our ongoing, sustainable business growth. As we add more senior positions and experts, each with their own experiences and strengths, we expand our ability to solve complex communications challenges and deliver award-winning work for our clients.” 

Pritchett also shared his excitement about working with the Icon Agency team, stating, “The team at Icon are a fantastic bunch and I’m excited to join them in making great, purposeful work.”

Prior to Pritchett’s appointment, Icon Agency has also previously welcomed Simon Hobbs as its new executive director of digital.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – SEA-focused digital marketing agency Lion & Lion has announced two new leadership appointments for its Malaysia and Singapore units. They are Amelia Peng, the new business director for Malaysia, and Hendero Fin, the new business director for Singapore.

Both will report to John Campbell-Bruce, Lion & Lion’s regional managing director, and will focus on creating and strengthening client relationships in their respective markets while ensuring that the finest of data-integrated creative solutions remain at the core of all client services. 

Peng joins Lion & Lion as the newest member of the senior management team. She has been involved in branding and advertising for more than 15 years, working for both the client and agency sides. For several businesses, including Petronas, Grab, Nestle, Proton, AIG, Shell, Astro, and Maybank, she served as team leader for the client servicing division. After building her experience in branding and advertising, she spent a few years leading the marketing and strategy teams for companies like Disney and BookXcess before putting her attention back to what she truly loves – advertising. 

Meanwhile, Fin, who after managing Lion & Lion’s Indonesian market for almost two years, has relocated to Singapore to oversee the agency’s client servicing there. During his tenure as the business director of Indonesia, Fin oversaw the growth of the market with new wins such as biotechnology company Novozymes, and consumer brands Cool Air and Doublemint under Mars Wrigley. 

Fin is an advertising veteran, with 12 years of experience split evenly between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. He has managed clients from a range of industries, from telecommunications to consumer products. His portfolio includes well-known Indonesian and international brands such as Diageo, Indosat Ooredoo, Marlboro, Lazada, and Redoxon, as well as Mars Wrigley. 

Commenting on her appointment, Peng said, “It’s been such a warm welcome to the den. I thoroughly believe that a happy and engaged team will be inspired to do great work. Such a team requires a good leader who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty while leading the team through challenging times. Armed with my experience, I can’t wait to learn more from my team members. I am also confident that we will be able to enhance Lion & Lion’s status as a place where impactful and meaningful solutions are created for our clients.”

Fin also commented, “I am embracing this new role for two great reasons ‒ personal growth and to bring Lion & Lion even further ahead in Southeast Asia. I aim to grow Lion & Lion’s business here in Singapore, and in the near future, introduce a hub and spoke model to our potential clients in the region. Because of the multiplicity of nationalities and cultures we represent, our people are our most valuable asset, giving Lion & Lion an advantage in offering seamless and comprehensive solutions to our clients.”

Meanwhile, Campbell-Bruce said, “Amelia has integrated well with the Lion Malaysian team. She has quickly established herself and is already driving the business forward. We are very happy to have her on board and I am excited to see how she will help continue the agency’s rise in 2023 and beyond, in line with our expansion strategy.” 

He added, “Fin has been a strong leader for the Indonesian business over the past two years. He came in as a client director, and quickly established himself as an effective marketer and leader. He has shown great determination, talent and smart business acumen, which saw him promoted to business director. I am extremely excited to see him continue his development and take over the helm of the Singapore market, which is a core market for regional networks like Lion & Lion.”

Bangkok, Thailand – Ogilvy Thailand has elevated Gumpon Laksanajinda, its former executive creative director, to be its new chief creative officer, where he brings in craftsmanship and awards expertise.

Under the new role, Laksanajinda will be providing creative leadership, strengthening and diversifying Ogilvy’s creative capabilities, and empowering teams across all creative functions.

A true visionary who skillfully combined creativity, data, and technology to create breakthrough communication works, Laksanajinda is the creative force behind the company’s consistent wins at Cannes Lions and other prominent awards during the past few decades.

Laksanajinda noted that moving forward, he will focus on enhancing the agency’s creative capabilities in four key areas. 

“The first is Variety. Thanks to our comprehensive services that include Advertising, PR & Influence, Experience, Health, and Consulting, we are able to solve clients’ marketing problems creatively and innovatively. [The] second is Speed & Scale. We will utilise [the] latest technologies in Creative Cloud to make our creative process seamless and our creative works scalable in order to serve clients’ increasingly dynamic needs,” said Laksanajinda.

He added, “The third is Talent. We welcome fresh and seasoned talents from a wide variety of backgrounds, skills, and interests, as long as they are passionate about using creativity to make big differences. The last area is Effective Impact. We are convinced that works with mere commercial results are not enough to grow and sustain brands in the long run. We will join hands with our clients to push forward projects that promote [a] positive impact for the people and the planet on top of business performance. We will make sure our clients walk with confidence toward the future with us by their side.”

Meanwhile, Nopadol Srikieatikajohn, chairman of Ogilvy Thailand, said, “It is about time that Gumpon uses his accumulated experiences and expertise to bring our company to a new era of success and to pass on our unique DNA to the next generation of creative talents.”

In August 2022, Ogilvy also appointed Chatree Chokmongkolsatian as its newest chief strategy officer in Thailand.

Shanghai, China – Dentsu China has recently announced the appointment of Richard Tan as CEO of Dentsu Creative China. His appointment will be effective on November 16 this year.

Tan will be reporting to Deric Wong, CEO of Dentsu China, and will be leading about 1,200 strong teams across Dentsu’s offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, and Wuhan. 

He is expected to accelerate growth for the group’s extensive client base while championing innovation to drive greater integration to Dentsu’s creative services to media and its customer experience management.

Speaking on his appointment, Tan said, “I am passionate about balancing bold creativity with sustained business impact in China’s dynamic digital ecosystem. I love where DENTSU CREATIVE is heading and leading with ‘Modern Creativity’… through a simplified but compelling proposition that navigates practical challenges in the modern world of complexity.”

Prior to joining Dentsu Creative, Tan held several senior management positions as country head in various agency networks in China for 20 years. This includes Euro RSCG, DDB, and Mullenlowe China.

On Tan’s appointment, Wong commented, “I am pleased to welcome Richard as he takes on the leadership of Dentsu Creative China. We live in a time of exciting possibilities and Richard as a seasoned agency leader will continue to build on the momentum with dynamism.”

He added, “Our leadership team looks to work closely with Richard, to continue building on our bold strategies to fuel market-leading growth and help brands create lasting good with meaningful progress, as Dentsu continues to evolve in China’s digital era.”

Tan will be replacing Dentsu Creative China’s incumbent CEO Keita Ishikawa, who will be moving on to a management role at Dentsu Inc. in Japan.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Keita-san for everything we’ve achieved together under his transformative leadership and wish him our best in his new role,” Wong further stated. 

Cheuk Chiang, chief executive officer at Dentsu Creative APAC, also said, “There is no creative leader in China more experienced than Richard. As we take Dentsu Creative to the next level, he is well placed to deliver success. He lives and breathes creativity.”

Since its launch last June, Dentsu Creative has been continuing its series of leadership appointments with Benny Augustine for India, Cheuk Chiang for APAC, and four new hires for its global leadership team.