Tag: Appointment

Singapore – Creative studio Heckler Singapore has promoted Xinhui Zheng as head of production to boost its production team.

Zheng was previously the senior VFX producer at the company. She joined the company in 2019 as one of the first employees of Heckler Singapore.

Bringing more than a decade of experience, Zheng helped the company in leading VFX projects. She was at the helm of producing 2D and 3D animation for a global skincare brand, solidifying her position as a trusted partner.

Zheng has produced campaigns for Forsman & Bodenfors Singapore, BBH Singapore, Digitas, Prodigious, Media Arts Lab, Ogilvy WW, and Studio Birthplace. This includes campaigns for brands such as Riot Games, Nike, Samsung, Apple, Fanta, Greenpeace, Jeshi and SK-II.

“Xin’s promotion to head of production is a no-brainer. Our producers really trust and look up to her and she is someone I can always rely on to step up and dig deep when needed. With Heckler Singapore all grown up now (we turned five this year!), I’m grateful to have Xin at the helm overseeing the department. In her new role, Xin will work closely with myself and the artists to manage workflow, plan resources and streamline production,” Charu Menon, managing director at Heckler Singapore, said.

“She has always fostered great client relationships because she goes above and beyond to deliver top-notch, quality work. In some agencies, that has earned her the nickname ‘Amay-Xin!’” Menon added.

Zheng commented, “It’s a massive honour to take on this new role, especially when I think about the calibre of talent we have in Heckler SG. I guess I’m just going to have to put on my big boy pants and try not to mess it up!”

Australia – OpenX Technologies, Inc. has appointed Emma Gronow as its new buyer development director for the ANZ, bringing her extensive experience in digital, mobile, and TV to strengthen OpenX’s programmatic and data-driven solutions across the region. 

Gronow joins OpenX from Little Dot Studios and will collaborate closely with the company’s brand advertisers and agency partners to showcase OpenX’s programmatic and data-driven solutions, including its advanced TV by OpenX offering.

She will report directly to Clay Gill, who also recently joined OpenX from IPG.

Speaking on the appointment, Mitch Greenway, managing director for APAC at OpenX, said, “Emma’s expertise across CTV and digital experience is a welcome addition to the OpenX ANZ team. Her appointment reinforces our commitment to expanding TV by OpenX in the region, and we look forward to her support in strengthening partnerships and driving growth across ANZ.”

Auckland, New Zealand – Accenture Song, a tech-powered creative group, has appointed Storm Day as its New Zealand lead and chief executive officer (CEO) of The Monkeys Aotearoa ahead of its rebranding to Droga5 in December.

Since joining the company in 2022, Day has been leading The Monkeys Aotearoa’s marketing operations, contributing to the team’s growth.

With over two decades of experience in the marketing and consulting industry, Day has worked with brands such as Tourism New Zealand, ASB, New Zealand Story, Fonterra, Mazda, and Asahi.

Accenture Song recently appointed Bronwyn van der Merwe as Accenture Song lead for Australia and New Zealand and Matt Michael as CEO of Droga5.

Justin Mowday, country managing director at Accenture New Zealand, said, “Storm has been instrumental in expanding the team at The Monkeys Aotearoa and making Accenture Song’s global expertise relevant to the New Zealand market.”

“She is a formidable leader with unbeatable local knowledge and experience and is the best person to help steer us into the future as we continue to champion purpose-led growth for our clients in New Zealand,” Mowday added.

“I am extremely excited to be leading this very talented team and working with our clients to join up purpose and customer experience. We help Kiwi organisations put a meaningful purpose at the heart of their culture, operations and experiences to drive growth,” Day commented.

“Combined with the Droga5 name and our incredible creative leader, Damon Stapleton, we will continue to build and sustain Aotearoa’s most influential brands,” Day added.

Sydney, Australia – Independent agency Apparent has named Hamish Stewart as the chief creative and experience officer, a new role in the agency that aims to enhance its integrated offering.

As chief creative and experience officer, Stewart will oversee the creative output of Apparent, collaborating with its portfolio of clients in Australia and other countries.

Stewart was previously the national executive creative director of experience at CHEP Network. He has also held senior roles at R/GA Sydney, M&C Saatchi, and GHO.

With over 25 years of experience in the creative industry, Stewart has worked with brands such as Optus, CommBank, Google, and NRMA Insurance. 

Additionally, Stewart was also a mentor for startup accelerators Remarkable and EnergyLab, reflecting his aim of driving innovation.

Suzy Smiley, managing director at Apparent, commented, “We’re excited to further bolster our leadership with the addition of Hamish into the new chief creative and experience officer position. His extensive, award-winning experience with major brands at some of Australia’s top agencies makes him the ideal leader to help us deliver on our ambitious agency strategy and continued global growth.”

 “Apparent is dedicated to solving clients’ complex business challenges by integrating creativity, media, data, and technology. I’m delighted to be joining the agency and collaborating with its talented team to continue delivering exceptional results for our clients and accelerating the agency’s overall creative offering,” Stewart said.

Sydney, Australia – Quiip, a social media management specialist, has announced three key appointments to strengthen its leadership team.

The company has appointed Kelly McParlane and Luke de Zilva as team leads while Dr Alison Milfull has been named as the marketing and business development director. Combining their expertise, the new hires are set to meet the needs of Quiip’s growing client base.

With more than a decade of experience in social media and community management, McParlane has worked with iconic events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Commonwealth Games. 

De Zilva has worked in the creative industry with organisations such as the Sydney Opera House, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and Tranby Aboriginal Cooperative.

Meanwhile, Milfull leverages over 20 years of experience in ethical marketing and digital engagement. Previously, she has worked with ACMI, BirdLife Australia, Zoos Victoria, and La Trobe University.

Additionally, Quiip has expanded its offering to provide out-of-hours client support for the holiday season. Through the offering, Quiip offers to manage its clients’ social media and online community 24/7, ensuring consistency.

The offering also aims to address the increase in misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, spam, and bot activity. It reinforces Quiip’s commitment to connect and protect its clients online.

Alison Michalk, Quiip’s chief executive officer, commented. “We are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made this year—our new hires bring a synergy that enhances the momentum within our team. As our services grow and our team evolves, we’re building a solid foundation for continued success, which drives our excitement to build partnerships with even more clients.”

Hong Kong – Communications agency Burson in Hong Kong has appointed Simeon Mellalieu as chief executive officer. Simeon joins the agency from Ketchum, where he served for more than 20 years.

In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Simeon shares how he is transitioning to his new role and leading the new Burson team to create a clear positioning for the agency in the market.

Setting priorities, goals in new leadership

As chief executive officer, Simeon is expected to lead the team with a vision. He aims to elevate Burson Hong Kong as a brand to boost its partnerships.

“At the macro level, my priority is to make the promise of our new Burson brand a reality so that we are one of the most sought-after agencies to partner with – and work for – in Hong Kong and the wider region,” Simeon said.

To further grow Burson’s partnerships with brands in the region, Simeon considers the particular needs of clients in Hong Kong. Through his role, Simeon aims to lead Burson in showing its exceptional work, highlighting the agency’s ability to deliver what Hong Kong-based clients require from agencies.

“Given Hong Kong’s role in Asia, that means we need to prove our strength in executing locally as well as regionally or globally. This team can do both,” he said.

With the creation of a new Burson group, Simeon sees potential in the team, which can contribute to its growth.

“The scale we can now bring to bear from the bench of talent we now have really sets us apart,” he said.

Big leap, smooth transition 

Before his role at Burson, Simeon was a partner in client development at Asia-Pacific at Ketchum. Though he worked at Ketchum for over 20 years, he says the shift to Burson went smoothly. This is made possible by a skilled team.

“I’m not going to lie, the transition was something that I thought a lot about before I joined. Two decades at Ketchum was a very long time. But it has given me the skills I need to take on this role,” he said.

“There’s a great team here. And I’ve joined at a time when there’s a lot of other new talent coming in too. That’s creating a crucible of fresh thinking at an important moment in time for the company,” he added.

Throughout his decades of experience in the industry, he has formed insights into how he aims to lead the agency. With what he has learned from his previous experiences, he shares the lessons he will bring to Burson. 

“I think there’s two important things. First, is an ability to collaborate and work across opcos to maximum effect and build growth. Clients are increasingly looking for a group level one-stop shop where work scopes are beyond what a single agency can deliver,” he said.

“Second is being objective about the level of service we’re bringing and whether we are actually being a good partner or not. You don’t build great client relationships if you’re in denial about when and where we’re falling short. You need to be able to address that head on and fix it,” he added.

Remaining on the lead

One of Simeon’s goals is to contribute to Burson Hong Kong, allowing it to stay on the lead in the industry. While there are challenges, he remains optimistic about overcoming them by taking on opportunities.

“In this part of the world, everyone’s keeping a close eye on the economy both in Hong Kong and mainland China. It’s no secret there are challenges there, but the outlook is more positive,” he said.

He plans to navigate the challenges of operating as an agency by leveraging artificial intelligence. With innovation and access to technological solutions, he is confident that it can bolster the agency’s outputs.

“We’ve already got an AI-based tech stack ready to go which puts us ahead of most of our competitors. This helps us be more efficient and provide better insights for our clients which gives us an edge in both advisory and creativity.”

Since Burson’s name has a weight that the agency needs to live up to, he says it will use its tools and technology to maintain its momentum.

“Our agency name is synonymous with PR. Harold Burson literally wrote the book. We need to stay at the top of the industry. With the scale we’ve now created for ourselves and the tools and AI innovation we bring, we will continue to do that,” he said.

Though he highlights Burson’s available tools to serve its clients, he says there are more important things an agency should constantly have amidst a dynamic industry: audience trust.

“The world isn’t getting any easier to navigate. Change and disruption are all around us. But the need for businesses and brands to earn reputation and trust is a constant. It’s what gives them permission to engage with their audiences and grow. The tools we use may change but reputation will always be our business,” he concluded.

India – FCB Interface, part of FCB Group India, has appointed Noor Samra as its national planning director, bringing her extensive experience across both legacy and emerging brands to the agency. 

Known for her strategic expertise and innovative approach, Samra is expected to play a key role in advancing FCB Interface’s strategic capabilities and delivering impactful brand solutions in her new role. 

As national planning director, Samra will play a pivotal role in FCB Group’s Strategy Council, working closely with leaders across the network to enhance the agency’s strategic capabilities. Her impressive track record of award-winning work includes prestigious honours such as a Cannes Lion Grand Prix, Global Best of Best Effie, WARC Global Grand Prix, and APAC Effie metals, reflecting her commitment to excellence and innovation.

Samra brings extensive experience with some of the world’s most recognised brands, including Spotify, PhonePe, Whisper, Visa, HDFC Life, Lay’s, Kurkure, Doritos, Quaker, and Heineken. Her ability to navigate seamlessly between established brands and emerging clients highlights her depth and versatility in the brand strategy landscape.

Speaking on her appointment, Noor expressed, “I am looking forward to joining Dheeraj, Gaurav, and Rakesh, along with the talented team at FCB Interface. The agency already has great momentum, and I hope to add even more value and depth to our clients and creative showcase. FCB’s belief in creativity as an economic multiplier resonates with me deeply. Great work that serves as a benchmark in the industry while driving meaningful business results is what I aspire to orchestrate at FCB Interface.”

Meanwhile, Gaurav Dudeja, CEO of FCB Interface, said, “We can realise our ambitions of transformational growth and glory only with the right people forming the leadership core of the agency. And Noor’s appointment is a significant step in that direction. She brings a unique blend of strong academic background in sociology, experience as an ethnographer, and more recently of leading strategy on a wide spectrum of brands—from FMCG to consumer tech.”

“What encourages me most about Noor is her energy and ability to straddle across deep and immersive strategy work, as well as provide inspiring springboards with agility for creative teams to take a leap from. One just needs a quick glance at her line-up of Cannes and Effie’s wins to feel encouraged by her ‘winning’ DNA and hunger to do amazing work. I’m super confident that under Noor’s leadership, FCB Interface is poised to take the next level of growth and reputation,” Dudeja added.

Australia – Marketing agency 72andSunny has appointed Wesley Hawes as chief creative officer in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). 

As the creative team lead, he is set to spearhead the agency alongside Ross Berthinussen, president, and Laura Popa, head of brand at 72andSunny.

Hawes was previously the executive creative director at Innocean Australia, where he helped gain clients and recognition. He also held the same position at CHE Proximity Sydney, Marcel, and TBWA\Australia. 

Additionally, Hawes co-created ‘Fck The Cupcakes,’ a gender equality organisation that aims for men’s participation in the equality conversation. He also co-founded ‘Love Our Work,’ an initiative that seeks to enhance creative feedback while raising editorial standards.

“We are thrilled that Wez is joining Laura, myself and the 72andSunny team in ANZ as Chief Creative Officer, ANZ. Our founding belief is a belief in Optimism, in finding opportunity in any challenge, and Wez is the embodiment of that ethos,” Berthinussen commented.

“Over the last few years we have experienced incredible momentum and are looking forward to how he can help us build on that by fostering our collaborative, creative culture and delivering what we get out of bed for every day, radical, culturally led ideas that grow our client partners’ brands and business.” Berthinussen added.

Manila, Philippines – Union Bank of the Philippines has announced the expanded role of Albert Cuadrante as chief marketing, customer experience, and digital channels officer, reflecting the bank’s commitment to strengthening its customer-centric strategies and digital innovation.

In his new role, Cuadrante will lead the charge in ensuring the bank delivers exceptional customer experiences across both physical and digital channels. As the overseer of UnionBank’s digital banking platform, UB Online, Cuadrante is also responsible for optimising the app’s user interface and continuously enhancing the customer journey to make banking easier and more convenient.

In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Cuadrante outlines his vision for enhancing customer experience at UnionBank, highlighting its leadership in digital banking through technology, customer insights, and agile innovation.

Blending digital innovation with customer care 

Cuadrante began his journey at UnionBank as chief marketing officer before taking on the additional responsibilities of chief customer experience and digital channels officer. 

For Cuadrante, his expanded role naturally integrates with the marketing function, as building strong customer relationships is essential to effective marketing. He believes that businesses must engage in continuous interactions and research to gain valuable insights into the customers they aim to attract and retain.

In his words, “Being intimate with the consumer is the core of marketing.” 

Cuadrante’s vision is to create an empowered digital banking experience that liberates customers from traditional constraints like paper forms and limited banking hours, all while ensuring exceptional support at physical branches when needed. 

A prime example of this vision is UnionBank’s ‘The Ark,’ the country’s first fully digital branch launched in 2017, which set the standard for the bank’s nationwide branch experience by seamlessly integrating digital and physical services.

“We are mindful never to lose sight of the fact that behind every digital transaction and interaction is a person,” Cuadrante shared. “That is the thread that binds the design of our products and services. We now have over 15 million retail customers and are growing, with our app being one of the highest-rated and most downloaded local banking apps. This motivates us to keep on looking for ways to delight our customers.”

Recognising the diverse needs of UnionBank’s clientele, Cuadrante is committed to continuously improving the customer experience by making it as seamless and frictionless as possible. 

“We want our customers to open accounts, get credit cards, or have loans approved in the fastest possible time,” he expressed. 

Beyond banking, the goal is to provide exclusive deals and offers in areas like shopping, travel, dining, and entertainment, helping customers enjoy the best experiences life has to offer. Cuadrante emphasises the importance of customer feedback, which UnionBank uses to identify areas for improvement and better meet the financial goals and aspirations of its clients.

“We constantly get customer feedback to allow us to determine which areas of our products and services we can do better at. Technology combined with our agile way of working allows us to keep on iterating and quickly make adjustments based on what we are learning to help ensure delivering our desired customer experience,” he said. 

Embracing AI to drive efficiency and fuel growth

As the banking industry evolves with advancements in technology, Cuadrante emphasises the importance of agility. 

“The UnionBank Team thrives in a fast-changing environment, as this is the nature of a digital world. We have built our processes around the agile way of working to enable us to introduce and/or improve products, services, and features,” he shared. 

Under Cuadrante’s leadership, a culture of continuous learning and innovation is also actively fostered within the marketing and CX teams. This approach ensures they stay attuned to emerging trends and shifts in consumer behaviour and sentiment, which in turn informs the ongoing refinement of UnionBank’s products, services, and customer experiences.

UnionBank’s early adoption of AI technology is another key part of Cuadrante’s strategy for future growth. He highlighted the bank’s commitment to leveraging AI to design and deliver more personalised products, services, and offers that align with the diverse needs, behaviours, and aspirations of its customer segments.

“I believe that AI will allow us to become more efficient and targeted in the way we communicate, as well as allow us to respond more quickly to queries and requests for assistance,” he added. 

Looking ahead, Cuadrante envisions a future where AI continues to shape the banking industry, enhancing the customer experience and driving further growth for UnionBank.

“We have already made a lot of progress with the models and tools that we have developed since, and we are actively working with our strategic partners in testing and experimenting on new solutions that can help make us more efficient and take our growth to the next level,” Cuadrante concluded.