Tag: Appointments

Singapore – Virtue, the creative agency under media company VICE, has appointed Lesley John to be its managing director for the Asia-Pacific region, establishing the company’s focus on the region as a key growth market.

Through the appointed role, John will oversee Virtue’s business and teams across the region including offices in India, Indonesia, Korea, and Japan from its Singapore hub.

She joins from S4 Capital-owned data, content and production company, MediaMonks, where she served as head of client services in Singapore. Prior to that, she held senior and regional positions at agencies VCCP, Arcade, and BBH.

“I am extremely thrilled to be joining the team. Virtue has an incredibly unique offering that stands out within the APAC market. From the agency’s sheer talent to its cultural access within VICE, to its differentiating proposition, there is immense opportunity to help drive growth for brands in the region looking to become part of the ever-evolving cultural landscape,” John said regarding her appointment.

She will be reporting to Virtue’s co-presidents, Colin Mitchell and Chris Garbutt.

Mitchell said, “The APAC market is incredibly diverse and offers Virtue considerable opportunities to deliver culturally impactful work for brands. We continue to invest in our Singapore hub and there is exciting growth potential in other territories, including China and India. Lesley is a brilliant and seasoned leader, who will drive this, to ensure Virtue delivers for clients across the region.” 

Virtue has added new clients across the region, including Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble and Diageo over the past six months. The agency said it is set to announce a string of new appointments, in addition to exploring opportunities to support its clients and brands in new markets across the region.

Sydney, Australia – Advertising agency The Works, part of Capgemini, has appointed Iggy Rodriguez, former group creative director at global advertising agency R/GA, to be its new creative partner.

Rodriguez brings with him more than 18 years. Aside from his previous role at R/G, he held leadership roles at various advertising agencies, namely McCann and Leo Burnett. Rodriguez has also worked across agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB Sydney, and Ogilvy Sydney.

The appointment, which is effective in November 2021, aims to help continue to expand and diversify the agency’s creative work. Rodriguez will be focusing on the agency’s creative output, leading the creative department with creative director Nathan Bilton and will help bring new innovative thinking across all the agency clients, including Subaru, Aware Super, and H&R Block, as well as Goodman Fielder, and Masterpet. 

Commenting on his appointment, Rodriguez said, “It’s a really exciting time to be joining The Works. The backing of Capgemini adds a unique strength to our creative offering to tap into more tech and digital innovation for clients. With some great brands already on the roster, I’m looking forward to diving into the role and creating some amazing work with the team.” 

Meanwhile, Damian Pincus, The Works’ founder and creative partner, believes that appointing Rodriguez is a testament to where the agency is heading right now, as they have a very exciting future ahead, with an amazing group of clients who are all focused on winning in the market.

“The timing is great too. As we’ve recently gone public with our new Be Significant brand mission, what better statement of intent than to appoint one of the industry’s finest and boldest creatives around,” said Pincus. 

Jasmine Lansdell, the general manager of people and operations at The Works, commented, “We’re so excited to have Iggy join our senior team. Iggy brings exceptional talent and creative leadership to The Works and will push us to be better. Given the talent market right now, adding an internationally acclaimed creative partner is a great win for the agency.”

Most recently, The Works has also announced the appointment of senior producer Katie Harper as the agency’s new head of production, where she will be leading the agency’s in-house production team of directors and editors, overseeing work for several key clients including Goodman Fielder, Aware Super, and Masterpet, as well as H&R Block and Subaru.

Singapore – Krishnan Menon, formerly the chief client and growth officer for APAC at Wunderman Thompson, has been appointed by dentsu International as the new chief client officer for the network’s customer experience management (CXM) company Merkle and integrated customer experience management arm dentsu CXM, both for Asia-Pacific.

Tasked with elevating Merkle’s integrated client management approach and delivering the full value of dentsu’s CXM capabilities, Menon will also work across the dentsu network to expand on existing Merkle/CXM client relationships within the creative and media service lines.

Furthermore, Menon will nurture and grow client relationships at Merkle across the region with a focus on helping brands deliver customer experiences that are meaningful and valuable to people everywhere.

His appointment is effective by 20 December, 2021, where he will be reporting to Z Shen, president at Merkle APAC.

“As clients across the region make rapid strides towards being customer-centric and purpose driven, I will focus on bringing them the best that Merkle and dentsu have to offer. Together with the outstanding talent at Merkle across the APAC markets, I’m confident that we’ll bring added value and growth to our clients’ businesses,” Menon said regarding his appointment.

During his time at Wunderman Thompson, he focused on the top clients across the APAC region and on building client-centric teams and practices. Menon has spent almost twenty-five years at WPP across Ogilvy India, Kinetic, Wunderman, and Wunderman Thompson.

“Krishnan is the perfect leader to guide Merkle’s growth and maturity, as we evolve our client services in lock-step with the big investments in capabilities and specialization we’re bringing to markets like Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Singapore and others. Merkle has the talent perfectly suited to accelerating our entire industry and Menon will ensure our clients get the best of us,” Shen stated.

Hong Kong – Global news company South China Morning Post (SCMP) has appointed David Wightman, former group director of business operations at independent marketing and media consultancy Ebiquity, to assume the newly created role of global head of advertising.

Wightman brings more than two decades of industry experience, gained at the intersection of media, data, and technology. He has previously built and led local and international sales and operations teams within digital and traditional media companies. 

Aside from his previous role at Ebiquity, Wightman has worked as the managing director of GroupM’s audience intelligence and activation solution arm [M]Platform, where he launched and scaled the regional programmatic, data, and technology division of GroupM APAC. He has also worked as the chief operating officer of sports publication GiveMeSport, where he overhauled the editorial and content marketing approach, increasing readership, revenues, and investment.

In his new role, Wightman will be spearheading the ongoing growth and international expansion of SCMP’s global advertising business, leading a department spanning Hong Kong, mainland China, Asia, the USA, and Europe. He will also be overseeing the company’s global media sales, marketing, and creative solutions, as well as branded content, and advertising technology, among others.

Commenting on his appointment, Wightman said that he is energized and enthused to be joining SCMP.

“The award-winning history of the brand, coupled with an innovative approach to how we harness data and technology, offers an unprecedented opportunity. I believe the future is very exciting for our company, our advertising partners, and our audiences,” added Wightman.

Gary Liu, SCMP’s CEO, commented that they are delighted to add a leader of Wightman’s global expertise and reputation, and they look forward to broadening their business reach and international relevance with his strategic, operational, and commercial experience.

“His C-suite exposure across the EMEA and APAC markets will greatly benefit SCMP’s growing portfolio of international clients,” said Liu.

Just recently, the news company’s advertising arm announced the launch of the next version of its existing brand sustainability tool, SIGNAL 2.0, which features a suite of new functions to help drive optimization for advertisers and brands in their return of investment (ROI).

Australia – Advertising agency TBWA\Sydney has announced the elevation of Katrina Alvarez-Jarratt, former creative director, to now assume the position of the team’s executive creative director (ECD).

Alvarez-Jarratt has been with TBWA\Sydney since 2016, working across accounts including Tourism New Zealand, Pepsi, and Woolmark, as well as Optus. Prior to joining the agency, she has worked as the associate creative director at TBWA\Australia, the senior art director at Clemenger BBDO, and the art director at Clemenger BBDO Wellington.

Following the elevation of Alvarez-Jarratt, TBWA\Sydney has appointed two creative directors, Bec Johnson-Pond and James Sexton. 

Commenting on her new role, Alvarez-Jarratt said she is beyond stoked and can’t wait to create a space where creative people thrive, feel inspired and make the best work of their careers.

“In my time at TBWA I have been very lucky to have been able to work with, learn from, and be supported by some of the best in the business. I hope that in this new role I can pass on some of that good stuff to those around me, ” said Alvarez-Jarratt. 

Evan Roberts, TBWA\Sydney’s chief creative officer, believes that Alvarez-Jarratt epitomizes everything they want the agency to be, and that she’s got a team-first mentality, describing her as open-minded, curious, and relentless in her pursuit of disruptive ideas. 

“Pair that with the fact that she has been around our best work, trickiest briefs, building our creative culture and you can see why she is so important to us. I’m thoroughly thrilled to make this appointment and recognize her ongoing contribution,” said Roberts.

Just recently, TBWA\Sydney has also announced two new leadership promotions, namely Nitsa Lotus, the new chief growth officer, and Tanya Vragalis, the new managing director.

Australia – The strategic partnership, brand, and experiential agency, Bastion Experience, has appointed James Bartold, former head of sponsorship, events, and commercial strategy at North Melbourne Football Club, to assume the newly created role of group director for brand partnerships.

Prior to his previous role at North Melbourne Football Club, Bartold has also worked as a management consultant across private and public sector clients and has held roles as a journalist at the ABC and AFL. He has been crucial in developing leading sponsorships across AFL and AFLW from ideation, leveraging strategy and execution, and leading a diverse team across sponsorship and experiential. Bartold has worked with clients including Mazda, Spirit of Tasmania, Hello Solar, and Ego Pharmaceuticals, as well as Chemist Warehouse and McDonald’s.

The appointment comes as a result of a renewed focus from Bastion’s clients on brand partnerships as part of their marketing strategy. The agency believes Bartold’s depth of experience, together with Bastion Experience’s decade-long ability to tap into real-world cultural, audience, competitor, and contextual insights will ensure that the business continually delivers best-in-class expertise to clients.

Commenting on his new role, Bartold said, “I am excited to be a part of a leader in the space that can help brands navigate the breadth of opportunities and provide solutions that build genuine partnerships that deliver for both parties.”

Meanwhile, Matt McCann, Bastion Experience’s CEO, commented that they have been heavily involved in the sponsorship industry for over 10 years and that they are encouraged by the current live conversations happening as brands look to further tap into the deep emotional connection between live events and partnerships. 

“After an in-depth search to find the right individual, we’re extremely excited about James joining the team. Five seasons leading the North Melbourne Club’s partnerships and commercial brand strategy brings a deep understanding of how to build, negotiate, deliver and measure effective sponsorship relationships. We are already seeing James’ impact on our team and our clients, which is brilliant,” said McCann.

Manila, Philippines – Global media and digital marketing agency dentsu International has appointed Ronald Barreiro as the CEO of dentsu Philippines’ creative service line, where he will be overseeing the operations of two creative agency brands, namely dentsu Jayme Syfu and dentsu One Manila.

The appointment follows after dentsu has promoted Merlee Jayme, former chairmom at dentsu Jayme Syfu, to the role of chief creative officer for Asia-Pacific at dentsu.

Barreiro was previously the managing partner and general manager at dentsu Jayme Syfu. His journey in the agency started in 2009, when he first joined DM9 Jayme Syfu as general manager and was instrumental in setting up dentsu Jayme Syfu in 2016, after it was acquired by dentsu.

His career started out as an account executive in Basic/FCB in 1992 under the guidance of advertising veterans, Tony Mercado and Minyong Ordonez. He then moved on to become account management lead in agencies like Publicis-AMA and Publicis Manila, before joining DM9 Jayme Syfu as its general manager.

Commenting on Barreiro’s appointment, Jayme said, “He partners with clients to push business growth, collaborates with strategists to explore deeper insights and newer perspectives, supports creatives with their fresh and brave ideas, and helps everyone survive the difficulties of our work experience today with empathy and care programs. This is a well-deserved promotion and I look forward to continuing working with him closely and driving the next chapter of growth.”

Vital to the succession planning, Alex Syfu will also be separately appointed as chief advisor of dentsu Jayme Syfu, effective January 2022. Alex transitioned to this new role after partnering with Merlee Jayme in 2005 to form the Jayme Syfu group. He remains committed to key clients in the agency in his new role and will continue to support Ronald in steering the agency to new heights.

“His business acumen has helped the agency grow through the years, coupled with his good rapport with clients. He makes people feel that work should be fun but when it comes to numbers, that’s when he means business. With him heading the dentsu creative agencies in the Philippines, I have no doubt that Ronald will be taking the dentsu brand to a higher level of excellence. My respect and admiration for this gentleman,” Syfu added, regarding Barreiro’s appointment.

Barreiro stated, “We will remain to be their partner for innovative solutions and they can count on both dentsu Jayme Syfu and dentsu One Manila to be their allies for idea-led, data-driven and tech-enabled initiatives. To my agency colleagues, I promise to take care of you like family as we go through our trials and triumphs.”

Singapore – Customer experience platform Emplifi has appointed Varun Sharma, former head of sales and director of CX applications for SEA at Oracle, to assume the position of vice president for APAC and Japan.

Sharma has over 18 years of experience in CX, digital, and hi-tech industries. Aside from his previous role at Oracle, he has also worked with Adobe, where he led Strategic Industries for their Digital Experience business in the SEA region.

In his new role, Sharma will be leading Emplifi’s Japan and APAC business, with teams across Singapore, Emplifi’s JAPAC headquarters, and Sydney. He will also be the key in driving growth and developing customer and partner relationships across the region as CX becomes a top priority for brands.

Commenting on his new role, Sharma said he is thrilled to be joining the JAPAC team at this exciting time in Emplifi’s journey, as the pandemic really accelerated digitalization in the region, across Asia and ANZ, driving marketers to greatly increase their spend on social media advertising and on CX solutions overall. 

“Emplifi’s offering is well-positioned to help businesses across JAPAC to deliver more connected brand experiences across channels, meeting customer needs at every touchpoint of the buyer journey,” said Sharma.

Nikola Pantovic, Emplifi’s chief revenue officer, said, “We’re very excited to welcome Varun to the Emplifi family. His experience building and leading sales teams, combined with his understanding of the CX landscape and knowledge of the Asian market will be key, as we continue to strengthen our focus on the JAPAC region.”

The appointment comes after the recently announced merger of CX company Astute Solutions and digital marketing company Socialbakers. Both businesses rebranded as Emplifi, which will cater to a middle ground of services centered on CX strategies for digital marketing purposes.

Philippines – Media and marketing agency Mediabrands in the Philippines has announced the elevation of Tricia Camarillo-Quiambao, former chief growth officer for IPG Mediabrands Philippines and managing director for Initiative Philippines, to now assume the position of CEO.

Camarillo-Quiambao brings with her 27 years of experience,  the majority of which within the IPG network including 20 years in business leadership, and executive committee roles for McCann Worldgroup Philippines. She is also an advocate of business growth through modern marketing.

Commenting on her appointment, Camarillo-Quiambao said that leading the organization at this time is a purpose she takes very seriously, and together with the strong client and partner network, they are on their way to an even higher trajectory.

“Mediabrands Philippines is built on strong capabilities; its consistently outstanding performance made possible by an extraordinary team bound by a unique culture,” said Camarillo-Quiambao.

Meanwhile, Leigh Terry, Mediabrands’ CEO for APAC, said, “It always makes me very proud to be able to elevate such quality leadership talent from within our own organization, and even more so to be fulfilling the plans and wishes of our much loved long-standing predecessor leader of Mediabrands Philippines, Venus Navalta.”

Hong Kong – Creative and CRM agency Wunderman Thompson in Hong Kong has announced Maggie Wong as its new CEO. Wong is formerly the managing director of Publicis Worldwide and Leo Burnett Hong Kong.

The move comes after former managing director Matthew Parry makes the move to Australia, joining Wunderman Thompson Sydney to assume the same MD role. 

Wong brings with her more than 17 years of experience. She has worked with established international brands across various industries, including Expedia, Lexus, and Pizza Hut, as well as HKT, and Standard Chartered.

Aside from her previous role in Publicis, Wong has also worked as the managing partner at marketing communications agency The Gate, and the business director at architectural design firm Alan Chan Design Co.

Commenting on her appointment, Wong said, “Wunderman Thompson HK has established an excellent base with a diverse blend of talents and capabilities to turbocharge the next chapter of growth. I’m hugely excited to be joining the wonderful team and by the prospect of what we can achieve together.”

Meanwhile, Ewen Sturgeon, Wunderman Thompson International’s CEO, shared they are very excited to see Wong join them and bring her own brand of leadership, as she has the right focus on creativity, data, and experience to continue growing the Hong Kong office.

“Matt leaves to Maggie a strong and successful agency, with a great team and clients. And I’m thrilled that Matt continues to grow his career in the Wunderman Thompson network,” said Sturgeon.