Tag: Appointments

Malaysia – Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has elevated Eileen Ooi to the role of chief executive officer for the Malaysia office. This elevation serves as a recognition of Ooi’s stellar performance and aligns with the company’s commitment to nurturing talent from within the agency.

In her new role, Ooi will be responsible for steering OMG Malaysia’s operations, driving efficiencies, and strengthening capabilities among its agencies in the country, namely OMD and PHD, as well as the group’s data and analytics division, Annalect. 

In February 2021, Ooi has been appointed as the new chief operating officer (COO) of OMG Malaysia, and has played a pivotal role in propelling commercial growth and harnessing digital capabilities for the agency network in the market.

OMG Malaysia said that under Ooi’s leadership as COO, the group’s business has grown by 40% year on year, retained major accounts such as Beiersdorf Malaysia, and expanded client’s portfolio across global, regional, and local businesses.

Moreover, with Ooi’s data-driven vision, OMG Malaysia has recently established a three-year transformative partnership with Google, which elevated the network’s capabilities in performance marketing, data analytics, and talent development to support and accelerate clients’ digital growth and transformation. During her tenure, Ooi has also proactively launched and integrated several mental wellness programmes which provide employees with access to mental health resources. 

Tony Harradine, OMG’s CEO for APAC, commented that Ooi has done an outstanding job of driving OMG’s business growth and enhancing its product and people capabilities.

“Her achievements, coupled with her good relationship with the team, make this appointment well-deserved. I am confident Eileen will continue to elevate OMG Malaysia’s performance in the market,” said Harradine.

Brisbane, Australia – Public relations agency Red Havas in Australia has appointed Kyra Shakspeare, former senior account director at full-service PR agency Haystac, to step into its newly created position of client services director for the Brisbane office.

In her new role, Shakspeare will play an important role in helping to re-define the agency’s Brisbane presence, cultivating a new, high performing team in ‘the River City’, whilst also providing senior counsel to Red Havas’ national health division, which is experiencing rapid growth. She will report directly to Haylie Marchant, Red Havas Brisbane’s executive director.

Shakspeare brings 12 years of experience working with consumer and health clients, including Swiss, Chobani, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, and Cotton On Group, as well as eHarmony, and Land Rover. Aside from her previous role at Haystac, she has also held leadership roles at communications firms WE Buchan and FleishmanHillard.

Commenting on her appointment, Shakspeare said, “Working beside Haylie in the past has led to some of my biggest achievements to date. I’m excited to work alongside Haylie again to drive our people and creative led-culture to continually deliver best-in-class consultancy for our clients.”

Meanwhile, Marchant commented that she is thrilled to welcome Shakspeare into this leadership role that will be pivotal in driving the growth and development of their Queensland offering.

“Kyra and I have worked together previously, so I know firsthand the value she brings to an agency and client partnerships. I’m incredibly excited about what the future holds for Red Havas Brisbane and our wider agency,” she said.

Red Havas Brisbane has also announced its recent new business wins, which include Club Active, the Australian health and fitness community for over 50s, and the Australian Counselling Association, the country’s registration body for counsellors and psychotherapists.

Marchant said that the new business wins reflect the depth of health expertise at the agency. She added, “The work we are delivering across the organisations is incredibly important and meaningful. I’m honoured to have the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the health and wellness of Australians, especially during this critical time.”

Jakarta, Indonesia – Southeast Asia’s used car e-commerce platform, Carsome, has appointed Andrew Mawikere, former president of technology company Warung Pintar, to be its new CEO for the Indonesia team.

Bringing more than 14 years of experience, Mawikere is a seasoned business executive with previous careers in Indonesia, the United States, and Singapore, as well as an experienced entrepreneur where previously he and other founders started their own company, a marketplace for B2B e-procurement called Mbiz. 

Aside from his role at Warung Pintar, Mawikere has led Bizzy Digital, a business-to-business (B2B) platform for integrated supply chain logistics and distribution. He has also previously held a leadership role at Astra International in the corporate strategy and business development department. Moreover, Mawikere has financial experience from his tenure in investment banking and multinational finance company JP Morgan and global investment company Temasek. 

In his new role, Mawikere will be a major force in ensuring Carsome Indonesia’s position as a market and industry leader in the country. He will also be responsible for driving strategic initiatives, and developing Carsome’s fast-growing business in Indonesia.

Commenting on his new appointment, Mawikere said that he feels grateful and happy to be a part of Carsome’s journey in digitising the process of buying and selling cars that are still conventional in Indonesia.

Mawikere said that he carries the vision to make Carsome Indonesia a user and stakeholder centred organisation with an emphasis on developing, investing, and empowering its employees. He is determined to make Carsome a leader in Indonesia by combining effective business and branding strategies supported by the power of technology and data.

“I am optimistic that Carsome is on track with a strong position, especially with the recent acquisition of Southeast Asia’s leading automotive listing and content platform, iCar Asia Limited. Relying on our core values, namely trust and transparency, we can create a more integrated automotive ecosystem that will benefit consumers and provide added value to the industry,” added Mawikere.

Meanwhile, Eric Cheng, Carsome’s co-founder and group CEO, shared that the appointment of Mawikere was a form of the company’s commitment to continue to grow in key markets such as Indonesia. 

“Joining Andrew will increase the strength of the team in Indonesia. With his combined financial and technological experience, we look forward to the breakthroughs Andrew will bring to enhance business growth and help Carsome’s mission of setting new standards for buying and selling cars,” said Cheng.

Sydney, Australia – Insights and consulting company Kantar in Australia has appointed two new senior leaders to strengthen its media, analytics, and customer experience capabilities. These new hires are Straford Rodrigues, the new head of media and marketing effectiveness, and Lee Catlin, the new senior director of customer experience. 

Rodrigues was previously the partner of Kantar Analytics Practice for Australia and APAC, and the partner of brand and marketing ROI practice for the USA. His global experience across the UK, US, Singapore, and Australia is underpinned by a unique combination of research, media and analytics. 

Meanwhile, Catlin was the former director of corporate reputation and customer experience at research firm Ipsos. She brings with her a wealth of experience as a strategic advisor for some of Australia’s well-known brands and Top 100 ASX companies. Her expertise in human-centred design and behavioural economics will help empower brands in facilitating deeper connections with their customers.

Commenting on his appointment, Rodrigues said, “I am here to drive media measurement and analytics innovation to meet our client’s evolving needs, connect disparate data sources to support clear business decision making for clients, and help them re-balance immediate sales performance with the long-term building of brand value.”

Lee also commented, “Kantar’s commitment and passion to people, and true hunger for growth and innovation makes me excited by what I can deliver. Kantar has an amazing client portfolio and I look forward to adding extra customer insight to their program to ensure the acceleration of client growth.”

Jon Foged, Kantar’s managing director of insights for ANZ, noted that they are committed to leading the market to ensure their clients accelerate growth through insights and human understanding powered by great thinking and exceptional technology.

He further shared that Rodrigues brings to Kantar a unique mix of media, analytics and team leadership experience, coupled with a proven track record of delivering commercial success.

“The addition of Lee Catlin coupled with our Head of CX Maree Taylor delivers a CX powerhouse to support clients to understand how their brand promise delivers to the customer experience and if the customer experience reflects the brand promise,” said Foged.

In June 2021, Kantar Australia has announced the appointment of Irene Joshy as the new head of creative for its Creative Domain division. Joshy will now resettle in Australia from her Singapore base.

New York, USA – Global adtech Criteo has appointed Brian Gleason, the global chief commercial officer at media investment agency GroupM, to be its new chief revenue officer, which will take effect on 1 April.

In his current role at GroupM, Gleason is handling a portfolio of dynamic businesses. Prior to this, he has also served as CEO of programmatic audience platform Xaxis, and the group chief revenue officer at media firm IDG Consumer & SMB.

As the new chief revenue officer at Criteo, Gleason will be leading a global team of over 1,500 associates focused on helping clients drive outcomes on the open internet through the adtech’s Commerce Media Platform solutions and fortifying Criteo’s leadership in Commerce Media.

Commenting on his appointment, Gleason said, “Criteo has grabbed the attention of the market by carving out a unique and compelling position within our industry. I’m excited to help our clients and our company realize the full potential of the Commerce Media opportunity we’re all staring at across the open internet.”

Meanwhile, Megan Clarken, Criteo’s CEO, shared that Gleason will be leading a transformed business that is leaning into a significant and growing opportunity that exists for media owners and brands on the open internet.

“Brian’s unmatched success helping clients win in Commerce Media coupled with his values that closely align to Criteo’s make him ideal for this role,” said Clarken.

In December 2021, Criteo has entered into an exclusive negotiation to acquire IPONWEB, an adtech company for US$380m in a combination of cash and CRTO treasury shares, which will help accelerate its strategic plans to shape the future of commerce media and deliver ideal commerce audiences at scale to both marketers and media owners across the open internet.

Singapore – Global communications network Publicis Groupe has appointed Amit Misra as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of its PR firm MSL Southeast Asia, which is in addition to his current role as CEO of MSL South Asia.

As part of his expanded responsibilities, Misra will be driving MSL’s growth in the South East Asia markets, leading a team of 100 colleagues across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, as well as Vietnam, and the Philippines, along with 450 colleagues across eight offices in South Asia. In addition, Misra will be working to drive Publicis Groupe’s Power of One solution in SEA markets.

Misra has joined MSL India in 2013 and took over the India operations as CEO in 2015. Under his leadership, MSL India’s growth in recent years has been driven by its integrated communications offerings and it will continue to be the focus of the business under his leadership in SEA.

Commenting on his appointment, Misra said, “MSL’s journey in South Asia over the last few years has been enriching and exhilarating at the same time and I look forward to taking my learnings to the expanded role. This is a tremendous opportunity to create interesting synergies across geographies from the perspective of our clients and talent and I remain excited about our growth in Asia.” 

Meanwhile, Amrita Randhawa, Publicis Groupe’s CEO for Singapore and SEA, said, “Amit leading the mandate for two regions will further leverage the Publicis Groupe’s Power of One model, with MSL being a true powerhouse offering scale and depth of services to our clients. I have no doubt that MSL South East Asia will reach unprecedented heights with Amit’s leadership.”

Margaret Key, MSL’s CEO for Asia, Middle East, and Africa, commented that Misra is a respected industry leader who has a proven track record of innovation and growth in the region. 

“With his appointment, two strategic geographies in Asia have come together thereby unlocking incredible opportunities for MSL. I look forward to working closely with him,” said Key.

Malaysia – Digital commerce enabler with SEA presence, CREA, has announced its expansion in Malaysia to strengthen its regional presence. The move follows the appointment of Katrina Neo, former sales director at dairy products manufacturer Dutch Lady, to be CREA’s new chief executive officer (CEO) in Malaysia.

Neo brings with her extensive in-market landscape knowledge. Aside from Dutch Lady, Neo held leadership roles in a range of companies such as Kraft, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Kimberly-Clark, where she was instrumental in driving commercial transformation. She was also responsible for implementing various go-to-market strategies that led to market share and revenue growth for the brands.

In her new role, Neo will help drive CREA’s growth and scalability. Her industry expertise coupled with CREA’s innovative technology will help brands under CREA grow by maximising their scale and reach with a single multi-channel solution. As CREA onboards new brands and expands its presence into Malaysia, she will be instrumental in spearheading localisation efforts for those brands.

Commenting on her appointment, Neo said, “The Malaysian market presents a great opportunity for growth, and CREA’s innovative solutions will help brands in Malaysia tackle the complex world of digital commerce and scale across different platforms. With CREA’s capabilities and technology firmly in place, I look forward to hitting the ground running with the team.”

Meanwhile, Aimone di Ripa Meana, CREA’s founder and Co-CEO, commented that they are excited to have Katrina on board to help drive the company’s next phase of growth in Malaysia, following their significant investment to build capabilities in the market. 

“We believe that with her experience as a business leader, and her extensive industry knowledge, Katrina can help brands in Malaysia navigate the complexity of the fragmented digital space and achieve e-commerce success across multiple channels. We are confident that our continued success in Southeast Asia, led by our power-based market of Thailand, can be replicated in Malaysia, under Katrina’s leadership,” he said.

Manila, Philippines – AI and data company ADVANCE.AI has appointed Michael Calma, former country general manager at corporate IT training provider DDLS Philippines, to be its new country manager in the Philippines.

Calma brings with him over 20 years of experience in software development, systems integration, managed services, complex deal structuring, and social enterprises, as well as IT education. Aside from his previous role at DDLS Philippines, Calma has also held senior leadership roles at Dimension Data, MDI-Novare, and NEC, as well as co-founded two tech startups fresh out of college.

As the new country manager, Calma will be leading and growing ADVANCE.AI’s commercial business.

Commenting on his appointment, Calma said that he is very excited to join ADVANCE.AI at a time when Filipino consumers are shifting en masse to digital channels and services. 

He further shared banks and financial services enterprises need a trusted and reliable technology partner who can anticipate and address potential friction points across the end-to-end customer journey.

“We strive towards bayanihan (communal unity) with other technology providers, enterprises, and regulators towards accelerating a digitally empowered and financially inclusive Philippines,” said Calma.

Sydney, Australia – iProspect, the media agency under the dentsu network, has elevated Marcelle Gomez, former general manager in Sydney, to be its new managing director (MD) in Sydney.

Gomez brings with her over 20 years of experience in various leadership roles across planning, account management, investment, and general agency management. Prior to joining iProspect 12 months ago, Gomez was the managing director at media agency Initiative Sydney and the general manager at IPG Mediabrands’ MAGNA in Melbourne.

iProspect has also announced that the Sydney office has had a dramatic growth spurt as they get close to doubling their staff, from 29 to 55. Recent new business wins, both locally and globally, have been a factor in the hiring of further staff. Those wins include Beforepay, Shopify, Polestar and the global win of French luxury group Kering.

Gomez said, “I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved in 2021 and that momentum will continue this year as we share more announcements in the near future. This is a brilliant business and team with the energy, ambition and performance mindset to continue our growth trajectory.”

Meanwhile, Oliver Rapson, iProspect’s CEO for Australia, shared that Gomez has joined the team during iProspect’s period of transformation with their focus on accelerating brand growth and end to end capabilities. 

“She provides energy, professionalism and a great depth of knowledge to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead in the future. Her motivation has always been on taking iProspect Sydney to the success it is enjoying today and I’m thrilled to have her promoted to MD,” said Rapson.

Sydney, Australia – Global web recommendation platform Outbrain has appointed Paul Knegten, former senior marketing executive of CTV platform FreeWheel, to step into its newly created position of chief marketing officer (CMO).

Knegten brings his deep background in advertising technology in this hyper-growth sector of ad tech to Outbrain following its acquisition of video intelligence AG, a contextual video platform in the CTV space. Prior to FreeWheel, Knegten was the CMO for Beeswax, which was acquired in 2021 by Comcast’s FreeWheel.

In his new role, Knegten will be leading Outbrain’s global marketing initiatives and will be instrumental in promoting the platform’s global brand. He will also oversee the global and regional planning, development, and execution of Outbrain’s strategic and product marketing programs and campaigns.

Commenting on his appointment, Knegten said, “I have been watching Outbrain since its founding with admiration and am beyond excited to join this amazing team and build upon Outbrain’s unparalleled technology and product leadership.”

Meanwhile, David Kostman, Outbrain’s co-CEO, commented that Knegten is a talented, experienced, and impressive addition to their executive team and the ideal person to drive their brand and global marketing. 

He further shared that Outbrain is on the verge of its annual 2022 advertising innovation conference, ‘Unveil’, and Knegten is joining the company at an exciting time.

“Paul’s extensive and proven track record in our markets will be invaluable as we continue to grow as a leading recommendation platform for the open web across platforms,” said Kostman.

‘Unveil 2022’ is a digital innovation roadshow which will run for a single day on 17 March 2022 for the APAC region, which is now open for early registration.