Launched in 2022, Moonfolks Shopex has become the agency’s fastest-growing division, specialising in creating consumer journeys, omnichannel shopper experiences and activation-led campaigns designed to influence purchase decisions.

In his new role, Sasonko will lead Moonfolks Shopex operations across Indonesia, Brunei and Vietnam, helping clients create more immersive brand experiences that connect with consumers across multiple touchpoints.

Sasonko brings more than two decades of experience in brand experience and experiential marketing to the role. Most recently, he served as general manager for experiential marketing at Iris, where he spent more than six years leading brand experience initiatives for clients across the region.

His previous experience also includes leadership roles at Geometry Global, Wunderman Thompson and Kraft Heinz ABC, giving him extensive expertise across shopper marketing, experiential campaigns and brand engagement.

Commenting on his appointment, Mahendro Sasonko, General Manager at Moonfolks Shopex said: “With  my expertise, I look forward to partnering with Moonfolks to build end-to-end, professional,  and creative solutions that exceed client expectations and push boundaries, perhaps to the moon!”

Sasonko will be based in the agency headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

The appointment comes as Moonfolks continues to strengthen its “audacious commerce” approach, which combines shopper marketing, brand activations and consumer experiences to help brands drive stronger engagement and conversion.

Anish Daryani, Founder, CEO and President Director at Moonfolks also commented, “We felt it’s the right time the team gets strong  leadership to stir this specialism for further success. In [Sasonko], we found the perfect cultural fit, hunger, ambition and dependability to create the most immersive brand experiences  that our clients truly deserve.”  

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Relocating from Amplify’s London hub to Sydney, Dale will work across the agency’s Australian, UK, and US offices, aiming to accelerate creative growth in APAC while continuing to collaborate on global projects. 

Dale steps into the role after four years delivering work across Amplify’s international network for major global clients. Prior to joining Amplify, he held senior creative roles at Above+Beyond in London, Colenso BBDO, and Ogilvy, among other leading agencies, working on brands including OnePlus, Subway, ANZ Bank, and Visa. His work has received both local and international recognition.

“Since my first Sydney creative secondment in 2023, I knew Sydney would be a place that I’d eventually end up in,” Dale said. 

“The combination of being able to help shape the creative growth of this part of the world, whilst collaborating with our US and UK teams, makes for exciting times ahead. And being a 3-hour flight away from home, instead of 23, is a big bonus. Being able to bring a global cultural mindset into this market, whilst diving headfirst into local insights, feels like a fun creative challenge,” he added. 

Amplify has also confirmed the appointment of Joel Menegazzo as creative director. Menegazzo returned to Australia and joined the agency toward the end of 2025 after two years at Seed. He is responsible for driving content-led projects, further strengthening the agency’s creative output.

In addition, Amplify has promoted two internal leaders. Aaron Bilham has been named head of production, overseeing the agency’s production capabilities with a focus on innovation, craft, and emerging technologies. Caitlin Todd has been appointed senior business lead, continuing to manage key client relationships, including Amplify’s work with Netflix, and supporting integrated brand experiences.

These appointments highlight Amplify’s continued investment in creative leadership and talent development, building momentum as the agency approaches the one-year anniversary of joining Common Interest and expands its global footprint.

Gareth Davies, managing partner at Amplify Australia, said, “Building on the momentum of last year, we’re excited to have Jordan and Joel join us locally to add further creative firepower to the work we deliver for our clients.  These new hires and promotions will further support our growth trajectory across APAC in 2026 and continue to raise the bar on our creative output.”

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Quang joins as Edelman aims to expand its presence and capabilities in the Vietnamese market, particularly in integrated communications, brand reputation, and corporate advisory. She brings over 15 years of experience in marketing, branding, and communications, with a track record of strategic leadership, driving growth, and building high-performing teams.

Most recently, Quang served as managing director at BCM Vietnam, leading a 100-member team and strengthening partnerships with clients including Unilever Food Solutions, Organon, Masan, and Vinamilk. In her new role, she will build on the foundation established by former CEO Thi Thien Thanh (TT) Nguyen, who will remain in an advisory capacity.

Speaking about her new role, Quang said, “I am thrilled to join Edelman Vietnam at such a pivotal moment for the business and the industry. I look forward to working with the firm’s talented teams and valued clients to drive growth, build trust, and deliver impactful work that elevates Vietnam’s reputation on the global stage and takes the firm into its next chapter of success.”

Pooja, appointed APAC chief strategy officer, joins Edelman from MullenLowe Lintas and will be based in Mumbai. A strategy leader with 18 years of experience across India, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and China, she has shaped brand narratives for companies including Axis Bank, Tata Motors, Saridon, Supradyn, Godrej, PhonePe, Jeep, Vim, and Lifebuoy. Her work has been recognised for marketing effectiveness across Global, APAC, and India, demonstrating a focus on measurable client impact.

Pooja commented, “I’m delighted to join Edelman and take on the opportunity to shape strategy across diverse markets, as well as partner with some of the world’s most dynamic brands. Edelman’s commitment to creativity, data-driven insights, and cultural relevance aligns perfectly with my passion for building meaningful connections between people and brands.”

She added, “I look forward to collaborating with the firm’s talented teams to deliver bold, integrated solutions that drive real impact.”

Both appointments are expected to strengthen Edelman’s regional strategy and client partnerships, reinforcing the firm’s focus on integrated, insight-driven solutions across APAC.

Rakesh Thukral, Edelman’s CEO for APAC, said, “Quang’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Edelman Vietnam. Her strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and proven ability to drive growth make her the ideal leader to build on TT’s legacy and lead our business into its next phase. I want to sincerely thank TT for her exceptional leadership and am grateful that she will continue to support us in an advisory role to ensure continuity and stability.”

“Pooja’s appointment strengthens our strategic consulting capabilities across the region. Her analytical rigour, creative vision and cultural instinct will help us deliver even greater value to clients. This is a moment of transformation for Edelman APAC, and Pooja’s leadership will be instrumental in shaping how we show up for our clients and our people,” Rakesh added. 

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The consultancy has named Annelies Verhaeghe as chief innovation officer, a newly created role aimed at scaling innovation and integrating AI-enabled tools into Human8’s broader consulting practice.

Commenting on the appointment, Tim Wragg, CEO of Human8, said, “Brands are increasingly turning to AI-driven marketing performance to boost efficiency, often at the risk of losing distinctiveness and authenticity. That’s why we’re doubling down on AI-enabled consultative power: combining the speed and scale of synthetic intelligence with the depth and nuance of human insight.”

He added, “Annelies embodies the entrepreneurial spirit that defines many parts of Human8. Her track record of pioneering new approaches makes her the perfect fit to lead this agenda, ensuring we help clients stay consumer-relevant and commercially sharp.”

In her role as CINO, Verhaeghe will oversee the scaling of innovation across Human8’s markets, including the development of human-based digital twins, synthetic data simulations grounded in community-sourced human inputs, and the expansion of AI assistants to support consulting work. 

Speaking on her appointment, Verhaeghe said, “Innovation isn’t just about algorithms, it’s about understanding people. At Human8, we’re designing intelligence that listens and learns from real human stories. That’s how we help brands stay bold, relevant, and deeply human.”

The company has also appointed Christoph Coucke as head of platform, where he will lead Human8’s proprietary technology stack, including The Square — its platform for surveys, communities, and client collaboration.

Additionally, Sacha Cody has joined as portfolio transformation lead to support innovation and consultancy integration across the global portfolio.

To strengthen its human-centric consulting approach, Human8 has named Delphine Vantomme as head of empathy culture and Angie Deceuninck as head of communities. The company said these roles are designed to ensure empathy-led insight remains central to its consulting frameworks.

Human8 said these appointments align with its broader mission to embed “human spark” into brand-building processes while leveraging AI to accelerate insight generation.

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For Indonesia, Diantoro will oversee the company’s strategy and growth, working closely with customers, partners, and the wider community to help businesses of all sizes transform into agentic enterprises—where humans and AI agents work together to unlock new capabilities, revenue streams, and business models.

One of the few Indonesians to have led operations at four global technology firms—SAP, Dell, Microsoft, and HP—Diantoro brings a deep network and extensive experience to the role. He has successfully managed go-to-market strategies and driven customer success for multiple organisations in Indonesia.

Commenting on his appointment, Diantoro said, “Salesforce is leading today’s agentic AI transformation, and it’s an exciting moment in time to join the company. With digital labour, Indonesian businesses have an unprecedented opportunity to enhance productivity, scale across geographical boundaries and drive innovation as they evolve into agentic enterprises. I look forward to working closely with our Indonesia team and the wider Salesforce ecosystem to accelerate growth and deliver the exceptional experiences our customers expect.”

His appointment follows Salesforce’s continued expansion in Indonesia, marked by the launch of its Indonesian entity and Hyperforce, the company’s next-generation platform architecture, in August 2023. In July 2025, Salesforce expanded the services available on Hyperforce in Indonesia to include Agentforce, Data Cloud Tableau Next, Tableau Cloud, and Marketing Cloud Next.

“Indonesia is at a crucial juncture where agentic AI can help the country realise its immense opportunity as the fourth largest market globally by population and a steadily growing economy. The country is increasingly influential in ASEAN and plays a key role in driving the region’s growth,” said Arun Kumar Parameswaran, executive vice president & managing director for South Asia at Salesforce.

“We are delighted to welcome Andreas to drive the business in this critical market. His deep understanding of the local landscape and customers and incredible track record make him the ideal leader to support the success of our customers as they embark on the journey to become agentic enterprises,” he added.

Meanwhile, as the new country leader for Thailand, Kuparatana brings more than 30 years of experience, including executive roles at leading multinational technology firms and one of Thailand’s largest retail conglomerates.

Most recently, he founded and led Altra Group, a management consulting and business transformation firm specialising in strategic planning, operational optimisation, and financial turnaround for small and medium-sized organisations across diverse industries. He also actively contributes to the Thai community, serving as Advisor to the Board of Management – eCommerce at the Federation of Thai Industries and Honor Board of Director, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.

Kuparatana is based in Bangkok, where Salesforce established a permanent office in March 2023. The company has long served as a trusted digital advisor for local Thai businesses, helping them unify data across CRM processes and touchpoints. 

His appointment comes at a pivotal time in Salesforce’s growth in the Thai market. With Agentforce, its digital labour platform for enterprises, Salesforce is helping organisations across industries such as financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail lead in the era of agentic AI.

Commenting on his role, Kuparatana shared, “Salesforce is at the forefront of agentic AI transformation in Thailand, and I’m honoured to take on the leadership of the Salesforce Thailand business during this exciting period in the company’s evolution. We’ve got a strong base of local customers and partners and a fantastic team. I’m excited for the opportunity to build successful agentic enterprises and expand our footprint in the market.”

With Kuparatana’s appointment and his strong understanding of the local market, Salesforce aims to deepen relationships with Thai customers and partners while empowering its teams to drive agentic AI transformations at scale.

“We see great potential for agentic AI to boost the growth of Thai businesses. We’re thrilled to have Apisit leading the charge for Salesforce Thailand as we help our customers and partners harness the potential of this transformational technology. His strategic expertise, deep market knowledge and strong relationships will help Thai businesses become agentic enterprises,” Parameswaran added.

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Cheng began her career as a copywriter at Leo Burnett Hong Kong and has since worked on campaigns for global brands. In 2024, she represented Hong Kong on the Cannes Lions jury.

Efstathiou, originally from Cape Town and based in Hong Kong for the past decade, is an art director with international experience. His work has been recognised at numerous award-giving bodies. 

“It’s an exciting time for Publicis Groupe in Hong Kong with Halo and Stratos stepping into broader leadership roles and the arrival of four incredible talents who not only add to our creative calibre – they’re also an amazing booster to an already thriving creative playground,” said Christopher Lee, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong.

Alongside the promotions, Publicis Groupe Hong Kong has also named Soenar Santoso, Kawa Wong, Ethan Chu, and Bernice Chin to its creative department.

Santoso, from Indonesia, joins as creative director with 12 years of experience and a portfolio spanning startups and global brands. Wong, who entered the industry in 2020, takes on the role of associate creative director and previously represented Hong Kong at Cannes Young Lions in 2023.

Chu has been appointed senior copywriter, bringing experience in developing campaigns for international brands. With a background in film and philosophy, his work aims to combine creativity with impact.

Chin returns to Hong Kong from Chicago to take up a copywriter role. Her expertise includes social media strategy, trend analysis, content creation, and digital marketing.

All appointments take effect immediately.

João Braga, global executive creative director at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong, commented, “Soenar, Kawa, Bernice and Ethan are the nicest, most talented humans, and we’re thrilled to have them on board. With Halo and Stratos’ expanded new roles, we’re now more than ready to elevate our craft and push the boundaries of our creative offering.”

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Handoko returns to the network in his new role as GM, bringing experience in communications planning, brand consulting, insights, and data.

Meanwhile, Dwipaputra and Immanuel step into the newly created CCXO positions, where they will define the agency’s creative vision and shape client and consumer experiences. Their remit includes driving innovation by integrating emerging technologies such as AI and developing brand activations that extend beyond traditional campaigns.

The pair have been behind some of Dentsu Indonesia’s award-winning work, including IKEA’s Bonding Instructions and Samsonite’s Scholar Panel.

Elvira Jakub, country CEO at dentsu Indonesia, commented, “Many of our leaders have grown within the network. They understand both the local market and have been piloting global level creative works. We believe in continuity with ambition and evolution. As such, our new creative leadership appointments are not only a testament to that but also part of a broader strategy that honours dentsu Indonesia’s rich 50-year legacy while accelerating our future growth.” 

She continued, “At the heart of our success is a clarity of purpose and discipline of execution. We are not chasing growth blindly; the business is strong because it has been shaped deliberately over the years with a focus on client-centricity and a culture of trust.” 

The appointments mark a blend of continuity and renewal, with the new leadership team expected to build on the agency’s foundation as it enters its next phase of growth.

Sanjay Bhasin, CEO, dentsu Southeast Asia, shared, “These appointments underscore our belief in the strength of local leadership to drive growth at home while shaping regional and global relevance. It’s about deepening what already works and elevating those who lead with clarity and care.” 

“This team knows the heart of our business—our people, our clients, and the values that underscore who we are as dentsu. With them at the helm, we will continue to build something enduring—from Indonesia to the region and beyond,” Bhasin added.

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Cooper and Conner were part of the team behind the recent Benee Bagels campaign for ASB, with their work influencing legislation, been cited in academic research, and made a lasting mark on culture.

Over nearly 20 years working together – across DDB, Colenso, The Monkeys, and now Droga5 ANZ – Cooper and Conner have helped shape campaigns for some of New Zealand’s biggest brands, including ASB, Meridian, Asahi, Lion, SKY TV, Westpac, Volkswagen, McDonald’s, Pink Batts, BNZ, Burger King, and Cadbury. They’ve also worked on campaigns like Steinlager’s Deep Dive, BMW’s Reverse April Fools, Paw Justice: Animal Strike, and Don’t Trademe.

In further appointments, associate creative directors Lennie Galloway, Thomas Gledhill, Max Rapley and Danny Pattison, have been promoted to creative directors – reinforcing Droga5’s commitment to nurturing talent and delivering world-class creativity across the region.

Creative duo Galloway and Gledhill were instrumental in delivering ‘We Go There’, the provocative brand relaunch for SBS, and since joining Droga5 in 2024, the pair have delivered standout campaigns for high profile clients including Meat & Livestock Australia. Before Droga5, they spent four years at Goodby Silverstein & Partners in the U.S., working on Cheetos, Lay’s, and Autodesk, and were named Rising Stars of Madison Avenue.

Pattison and Rapley each bring over a decade of experience working with leading brands. Both have led purpose-driven campaigns for NRMA Insurance, Telstra, MLA, Crown Resorts, UNICEF, and Uluru Dialogue – and played key roles in Droga5’s recent pitch wins; Tourism Australia and Optus.

The newly appointed executive creative directors and creative directors will work alongside Hugh Gurney and Joe Sibley–both promoted to ECDs in December 2024–to continue pushing creative boundaries and delivering bold, innovative work for clients across the ANZ region.

James Conner, Executive Creative Director, Droga5, ANZ said, “We’re honoured to be stepping up as Executive Creative Directors, and excited to support Damon, Barb and CEO Matt Michael in building Droga5’s trans-Tasman creative department, helping shape bold, impactful work across both New Zealand and Australia.”

Meanwhile, Christie Cooper, Executive Creative Director, Droga5, ANZ, commented, “We’re excited about the opportunity to work as the creative leads on an impressive portfolio of clients across the ANZ region and we feel really lucky to be a part of such a strong creative team.”  

Barbara Humphries, Co-Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 ANZ, stated, “These promotions recognise the incredible talent we have in the business and the lasting impact each of them has made. Having worked closely with them, I know they’ll bring even more creative firepower to our clients across Australia and New Zealand.”

Lastly, Damon Stapleton, Co-Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 ANZ, said, “Reshaping the senior creative team puts our borderless creative model into action. With this team in place, we’re set to deliver outsized ideas for ambitious brands across the Tasman.”

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As the new MD of MAL Seoul, Lee will report to global CEO Katrien De Bauw and work alongside Noh to oversee the agency’s leadership and client relationships.

“Minah brings a wealth of experience in the tech world, having worked both agency- and client-side for Korean and American global brands. She brings an entrepreneurial, start-up spirit that we believe will drive MAL Seoul into its next chapter,” said De Bauw.

Lee joins MAL from her role as head of account management at Amazon Korea, with prior experience in marketing strategy and management at companies including Cheil Worldwide, Samsung Mobile, Coupang, and Vestiaire Collective.

Speaking about her new role, Lee shared, “It’s every marketer’s dream to work for an iconic brand like Apple. I’m excited to lead the team in Korea to drive strategic initiatives that strengthen the brand while leveraging the momentum of global K-culture trends. I look forward to working with Katrien and Youji to elevate the Korea team and maximise our potential.”

Meanwhile, Noh’s promotion to ECD reflects her growing leadership role at MAL Seoul, where she has contributed to the office’s creative development through projects such as AirPods Cases, Behind the Mac, the Shot on iPhone film by Park Chan-wook, and the Made on iPad music video for Jay Park, illustrated by webtoon artist Namon. She will continue to report to global chief creative officer Brent Anderson and will lead the creative and production teams.

“Youji is a tastemaker, pure and simple. She has repeatedly helmed work that resonates deeply with Korea and that organically creates impact, all while maintaining Apple’s distinctive voice and hallmark simplicity. Youji’s understanding of the intersection of media, art and audience makes her the ideal creative lead for this important market,” said Anderson.

Noh also shared, “I’m thrilled to be working with Minah to lead and grow MAL Seoul,” said Youji. “Korea is having a moment in culture across various disciplines, especially with youth at the core. To continue creating iconic, culture-shaping work for Apple is a dream job for me and the team.”

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Among the key changes, Ashutosh Munshi, previously lead advisor for brand marketing and communications, will take on the expanded role of lead advisor for integrated communications.

In this position, Munshi will oversee the integration of practices, sectors, and capabilities to support the delivery of comprehensive marketing solutions. Over his 22-year tenure at Edelman, he has played a key role in building the brand marketing practice and establishing the firm’s strategic planning and creative functions in India.

Karishma Gupte has been promoted to India brand lead, moving up from her current role as brand lead for Delhi and food and beverage sector lead. She will also take on additional responsibilities as head of the Delhi office. Over the past seven years, Gupte has led award-winning campaigns and contributed to the growth of the firm’s food and beverage portfolio.

Meanwhile, Vasudevan Rangarajan, formerly SVP for public and government affairs, has been named managing director of the practice. Rangarajan has spent over 13 years with the firm and, in recent years, has focused on strengthening Edelman’s policy advisory and stakeholder engagement capabilities.

Also part of the leadership changes is Pankaj Suri, who will relocate to Dubai to serve as EVP, people partner for the Middle East.

Suri, who has led the people function for Edelman India for more than 13 years while supporting APAC operations, will transition his India responsibilities to Ashutosh Thatte. Thatte will be elevated to vice president, people partner, effective June 1, 2025. Over his nine years at the firm, he has contributed to business alignment and culture-building efforts across the India team.

Speaking on the appointments, Bhavna Jagtiani, CEO of Edelman India, says, “Our clients and teams have placed deep trust in these leaders over the last decade. Together, we have built a culture of collaboration, quality and innovation that has been at the core of our client and people relationships. I am confident that together, we will unlock new dimensions of value for our clients and teams as we chart our next phase of growth in India.”

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