Tag: Leadership

Singapore – IPG Mediabrands’ global performance marketing agency Reprise has announced new regional executive roles in Asia-Pacific, namely Parul Gautam as head of analytics for APAC, Caitlin Draper-Wheeler as experience director for APAC, and Sid Mehta as head of performance for media in APAC.

Gautam and Draper-Wheeler’s appointments take effect immediately, while Mehta’s appointment takes effect on 1 August this year.

In her new role, Gautam will be responsible for collaborating with Mediabrands agency partners and local market leadership to set the standard for excellence, driving growth in analytics across the APAC region. He was previously the vice president for Interactive Avenues India, a Reprise network company, where she developed the analytics function to lead more than 35 Global and Indian clients.

Meanwhile, Draper-Wheeler will drive the strategic direction for SEO and CRO crafts in the region to develop compelling solutions which inspire existing and prospective clients and deliver transformative growth. She joins from Stanley St, where she served SEO and CRO director. She also brings in more than 8 years industry experience including management positions across iProspect, Digital Hothouse and PHD.

Lastly, Mehta joins from his former position as head of paid media at NP Digital. He brings in 10 years industry experience specialising in digital marketing, having spent around 7 years leading search social and digital at Resolution Digital.

All appointees will report to Pippa Berlocher, president at Reprise APAC.

She said, “I am delighted to see our vision and ambition for Reprise APAC being realised. [We] have continued growing that traction and momentum through the key craft areas of our business – testament to the appointment of these three new leadership roles.” 

Berlocher added, “We identified expert talent from both within our Mediabrands network family and the wider industry, equipped with the ability to anticipate the pace of change by harnessing the skills and structure required to propel our clients business forward.”

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – WPP’s media services company Mindshare has announced new leadership appointments namely Shankar Rajagopal as chief client officer for APAC; Ashish Thukral as managing director at Mindshare and m/SIX Vietnam; and Preeti Mascarenhas as head of strategy and product for APAC.

Rajagopal was previously the CEO of Mindshare and m/SIX Vietnam, and a media veteran with two decades of experience leading client accounts from Unilever to L’Oréal and HSBC, as well as helming business divisions in India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.

Commenting on his appointment, he said, “I am looking forward to my new role – the fourth within Mindshare – where I will focus on driving the business transformation agenda for our clients in the region. I am excited to lead the Mindshare Asia-Pacific Client Leader community and will partner our account leads to continue nurturing our client relationships as well as ensure seamless integration and sharing of best practices across all markets to ultimately benefit our clients.”

Meanwhile, Thukral brings with him extensive brand-side experience from Standard Chartered and Diageo. He has also led agency client accounts including Levi’s, Nike, Lenovo, Nestle, GSK; and was most recently, the Managing Partner for Unilever, leading the global strategy and content for Mindshare’s long-term client. 

Lastly, Mascarenhas has returned to Mindshare where she previously spent eight years as the GSK APAC lead, handling numerous client accounts and winning new businesses across the CPG, FMCG, fintech and edutech sectors.

Rajagopal will be reporting to Helen McRae, CEO of Mindshare APAC, while Thukral will report to McRae as well and to Himanshu Shekhar, CEO of GroupM Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. Mascarenhas, meanwhile, will report to Rohan Lightfoot, chief growth officer of Mindshare APAC.

Speaking on the new appointments, McRae said, “Shankar, Ashish and Preeti boast excellent track records driving Good Growth and award-winning innovation across APAC. These are some of our brightest talents whose intimate knowledge of the region and deep domain expertise set them apart as forerunners in the ad tech industry. I’m confident they will continue to deliver exemplary work for our clients in their new roles.”

Sepang, Malaysia – AirAsia X, the medium to long-haul affiliate airline of AirAsia Aviation Group, has announced the resignation of Rafidah Aziz from her leadership position as chairman of AirAsia X.

Aziz was appointed as an independent non-executive director and chairman of the board on 3 March 2011, and was re-designated as a senior independent non-executive chairman upon listing of the company on 10 July 2013. 

Speaking on her resignation, she said, “I will be 79 this year and will have served the term allowed as an Independent Director. I would then need to comply with the change in status from Independent to non independent Board member and the other ensuing requirements. I have therefore decided to resign from my position as chairman of AAX and this will take effect from 1 July.” 

She added, “I feel AAX should appoint new people to the board to take the company forward especially after the restructuring exercise. It has been a very good experience for me, having developed so many friendships with the Allstars at all levels, which I will always cherish.”

Meanwhile, Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and founder of AAX commented, “Tan Sri Rafidah has always been much more than a Chairman. As an incredible trailblazer in so many ways, she was a rock and my backbone during the ups and downs of AirAsia and importantly, a friend and mentor for my own personal life. She was always there to give support and did not hold back in sharing her sharp insights.” 

He added, “While she is retiring, Rafidah will always be very much a part of the AirAsia family and her leadership will continue to inspire all of us. I’m sure we will continue to seek wisdom and guidance from her as we head into our next chapter.”

Singapore – Global technology company Cisco has announced a reshuffle of its marketing leadership team in Asia-Pacific, Japan, and China (APJC).

Effective immediately, Mark Phibbs, Cisco’s former vice president of global marketing insights and analytics and for the Asia Pacific, Japan, and China (APJC) region is being promoted to a new and expanded global role as vice president for campaigns, content, and industries, to drive Cisco’s overall global marketing transformation.

Replacing him is Joyce Moy who takes the role of senior director for APJC marketing, a veteran at Cisco with close to two decades of experience in driving innovation and business impact in the region, and was formerly the senior director for strategy, planning & operations and segment, customer advocacy and partner marketing for APJC.

Mark has played a pivotal role in building a world-class marketing team and in driving strategic campaigns that redefined customer centricity and business growth for Cisco. Mark has been a champion of innovative, data driven marketing and revenue impact from marketing activities.

Meanwhile, Moy has been with Cisco for more than 15 years and has held multiple leadership roles.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – FCB SHOUT, a Malaysian-based creative agency and part of the global FCB advertising network, has announced the appointment of five new senior hires to bolster its brand management team.

FCB SHOUT’s General Manager, Syahriza Badron, said, “The growth we’ve seen in 2021 has continued over to this year. And with our new hires, we are in a stronger position than ever to keep delivering top-flight work for both our current and newly acquired clients, while also ensuring the capacity for even more new growth opportunities.” 

Timothy Teh joined the team as Brand Director, bringing over 15 years of expertise from a number of global agencies to the table with him. Having previously worked on brands such as AmBank, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Audi, Proton, Samsung, 100Plus, Strongbow and Apple Fox, Teh also had stints on the client side. He was Brand Manager at Big Bad Wolf Books as well as the Brand Lead for the book retailer’s Thailand, UAE and Myanmar markets, and was most recently Brand Manager at Spritzer, a Malaysian mineral water brand, before joining FCB SHOUT.

Syahriza shared, “Tim’s expertise with client organisations and his exposure to regional markets will provide invaluable insights as we continue ramp up our cross-border business. His experience with financial brands will make him a key asset for our finance and banking portfolio.”

The second Brand Director to join FCB SHOUT, Chin Yee Wen has been in the creative industry for over a decade, working on diverse client portfolios such as BenQ, PPB, Harta Bina, 50 Megumi and many other Malaysian brands. 

“Yee Wen’s strongest point is her competence in a multitude of categories; she is our jack of all trades. Her experience with independent agencies is completely in line with our #NoPlanB spirit where we are hands-on, full-on and always-on.” Syahriza said.

Meanwhile, Kevin Choong will come on board as the communications planning director. Choong has 16 years of experience in advertising as well as digital and retail marketing with brands like Nestle, Samsung and Novartis in Malaysia, and AIA, Total Oil and Vinci airports in Cambodia. 

Syahriza commented, “Kevin will work closely with me to bring our strategies to life via our integrated communications planning framework, ensuring that we continue to deliver effective solutions within an increasingly fragmented media landscape.”

Also joining FCB SHOUT as Associate Brand Directors are Kong Pooi Ling and Melanie Mustapha. Both have over 10 years of advertising experience and, according to Syahriza, will play key roles on key accounts. “Mel and Pooi Ling add further depth to our already significant FMCG experience and, just as importantly, bring a youthful energy to our team with them,” said Syahriza.

All five appointees will report directly to Syahriza.

Sydney, Australia – Independent creative agency, The Core Agency has appointed Rebecca Turner to the newly created role of managing partner as well as taking a financial interest in the business as it scales for future growth. As managing partner, she will be responsible for driving agency growth and managing all commercial elements of the business, in addition to overseeing client service, people and operations.

Turner worked at the independent Sydney creative agency for almost ten years, most recently as business director and now joins founding partners Christian Finucane and Jon Skinner with an ownership stake.

Turner said, “Business ownership has long been a goal of mine. Having spent the better part of a decade at The Core Agency, it’s a dream come true to be invited to go into partnership with two of my long-time friends and mentors.” 

“The Core Agency has given me such a broad and rewarding career, I’m excited to be able to offer those learnings to others and continue to build an incredible business for our clients. As a female leader, I’m particularly passionate about furthering gender equality and using this new role to champion diversity and inclusion in everything we do,” Turner added.

The Core Agency was started 14 years ago and has built a reputation for delivering big brand thinking with service levels only owner-operator agencies can deliver. Its clients include IGA Supermarkets, QBE Insurance, Elders Insurance, PwC, Just Better Care, Quest Apartment Hotels and Doctors on Demand.

Christian Finucane, founder at The Core Agency, shared that with two creative founders, The Core Agency has always been a creative-led business. However, they recognise the important role people like Bec play in making great ideas happen. 

“We’ve been looking for the right third partner who can represent this vital pillar of the business, complement the skills we have, and bring a new perspective to our ever-evolving industry. Bec was the clear choice across all points. It has been fantastic to see her grow in the business while she has helped the agency grow,” Finucane said. 

Finucane further said, “She has an incredible ability to determine big-picture thinking while also minding the important details for our clients. She is a champion of the agency culture and always has time for the next wave of talent coming through the business.”

Meanwhile, Jon Skinner, founder at The Core Agency, commented, “This significant appointment is key to our growth plans as we scale and help more brands overachieve. Clients all tell us the same thing – they’re after big brand experience combined with the level of service that only owner-operated agencies can offer. This is exactly what our business model, driven by our new leadership team, can now take to the next level.

Skinner continued, “Australia is fueled by ambitious mid-tier brands that are restless for growth. We want to show them they have a natural home with The Core Agency, where they’ll receive the number one treatment without compromising on big brand thinking. Every great brand needs a core idea and core team, so our next chapter will deliver that for more clients who share our ambition to punch above.”

Malaysia – Wahed, a New York-headquartered global fintech company has announced the appointment of Juliana Abu Bakar as country head of Wahed Malaysia. In her new role, Juliana will be responsible for managing local offers, implementing growth plans, and directing marketing and business development functions in Malaysia.

In her previous role as head of digital wallet at Touch ‘n Go, a Malaysian e-wallet platform, Juliana developed and operationalized Touch ‘n Go e-wallet as a new product, including obtaining related regulatory approvals from Bank Negara Malaysia. She also enhanced use cases for the e-wallet by collaborating with strategic partners, along with obtaining online and physical merchants to accept the e-wallet as a new form of cashless payment.

On her appointment, Juliana said, “My heart has always been in the fintech industry. What attracted me to Wahed the most is the fact that inclusivity is its main business objective. I’m looking forward to making the Wahed brand a household name for Malaysian investment needs and thus, achieving our objective of providing inclusivity in the world of finance.

Juliana will be replacing Syakir Hashim, who captained Wahed Malaysia from its inception. Meanwhile, Syakir will be joining Wahed’s group management as its SVP of business operations.

Syakir commented, “Today, we are one of the leading digital investment managers in Malaysia and I couldn’t be more grateful. I’d like to thank the Wahed Malaysia team, regulators and wider ecosystem for supporting us.”

“Juliana joining us marks Wahed’s aim to promote a strong female leadership team at the company. We also hope her decision to be part of Wahed will pave the way for more diverse talent to join us and help us to create the best financial services for consumers,” Syakir added.

Singapore – Independent marketing cloud company InMobi has announced changes in its regional leadership lineup in the Asia-Pacific region. This is to aim at spearheading ad-based monetisation of its owned-and-operated and third-party properties through the InMobi Advertising Platform.

The leadership changes are namely current managing director for APAC Vasuta Agarwal, elevated to the position of SVP and GM of consumer platform advertising; current VP and GM of SEA, Japan and Korea Rishi Bedi, elevated to the position of managing director for APAC; current VP and GM of ANZ Richard O’Sullivan adding the expanded role of VP of agency partnerships in APAC; and current director of marketing in APAC Rajesh Pantina adding the expanded role of leading the B2B marketing charter for InMobi’s Advertising Platform and Solutions in the region.

Speaking about her new role, Agarwal said, “I am excited about this new adventure as we look to push the boundaries with truly first-of-its-kind experiences across connected devices,” shared Vasuta. “This is an opportunity to extend my decade-long experience and expertise in the adtech industry and across diverse markets across the globe, to develop and scale advertising on InMobi’s fast-growing consumer platforms.”

Meanwhile, Bedi commented, “Asia Pacific is one of the most vibrant, thriving, and rapidly evolving adtech markets and we are keen on delivering the best of innovation to brands, publishers, and consumers alike. And we will continue to invest in people, products, and partnerships to make this possible with the InMobi Advertising Platform.”

On the new regional leadership lineup, Abhay Singhal, co-founder at InMobi Group and CEO at InMobi Advertising Platform, said, “Vasuta, Rishi, Richard, and Rajesh have been longstanding members of the InMobi leadership team in APAC, previously holding several key positions and handling multiple businesses and regional growth charters. At InMobi, we constantly recognize leaders from within and empower them with new opportunities to grow and thrive. With these changes, we are well positioned and ready to embrace the significant growth potential that our technology leadership, deep in-market expertise, and unique culture have to offer.”

Mumbai, India – Mintoak, an India-based embedded fintech, powering merchant payments and financial services, has appointed Khushaal Talreja as head of marketing. In his new role, Talreja will be responsible for building the brand and create a credible positioning across stakeholders.

In his previous role at LitmusWorld, a customer experience platform, Talreja oversaw the Marketing & Partnerships department. Armed with over 7 years of experience, he  was able to develop a startup brand from the ground up. The company said that the agile digital marketing strategy will help them build the brand reputation along with creating more opportunities for revenue generation while they engage deeply with partners. Taljera’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge makes him the perfect choice that Mintoak needs as a boost to face stellar competition in the world of digital payments and establish a credible image worldwide as a proven Fintech PaaS model. 

On his appointment Talreja said, “I am excited to charter the marketing roadmap for Mintoak in India and new markets abroad. With a sharp brand positioning and collaboration with our partners, I’m certain that we will build a strong presence across our target markets. I look forward to working with the team”

Raman Khanduja, co-founder & CEO at Mintoak, commented, “At Mintoak, we are poised to redefine the digital payments landscape in India with a comprehensive platform offering. With a sustainable business model that chooses to be the rightful partner for banks across the globe, we hope, Khushaal with his wide experience of digital marketing will help us achieve brand leadership in the fintech ecosystem. We look forward to working together.”

Singapore – Tech company Yahoo has announced promotions for its Asia-Pacific leadership team, namely John McNerney promoted to senior director of platforms for APAC and Dan Richardson promoted to head of data for APAC.

Through the new roles, Yahoo will build on the growth and demand for its ad tech solutions in the region under McNerney’s leadership, while Richardson’s larger mandate will strengthen Yahoo’s market-leading data proposition in the region, especially relevant as advertisers look to connect the dots in a cookie-less world.

In addition, McNerney’s remit will oversee the commercial and technology strategy underpinning Yahoo’s ad platforms and unified ad tech stack, and grow Yahoo’s omnichannel capabilities across flourishing channels like CTV and DOOH across the region.

Meanwhile, Richardson’s responsibilities will include developing omnichannel partnerships, audience insights, segmentation, testing and implementation strategies for APAC.

Paul Sigaloff, vice president and head of APAC at Yahoo, said, “These leadership changes will position us to capitalise on rising opportunities as we drive the next chapter of growth in APAC. Richardson and McNerney have a proven track-record in their respective domains. Their leadership, expertise and experience will be invaluable for our evolution, as we double down on driving value for partners and customers in the region.”