Jakarta, Indonesia – S4 Capital’s operating brand Media.Monks has opened an office in Indonesia, adding a strategic location and local talent to its Asia Pacific business. The Indonesian office will service both local and regional client business, as Indonesia continues to be a growth market for brands.

As part of the office opening, Media.Monks has appointed Masayu Difa as its business director, who brings over 15 years of client leadership in Indonesia and experience across both local and international brands. She previously held senior client roles at Lion & Lion, Grey, McCann and Geometry.

In addition, Media.Monks has also formed a partnership with a new client, one of the largest Indonesian food brand leaders, ABC which named Media.Monks as its creative agency of record for ABC Soy and Chilli, becoming the founding client for the new office.

“I am thrilled to join Media.Monks, a forward-thinking agency that is setting the tone for how to deliver digital solutions through innovation and lead our efforts in Indonesia. Our new office will leverage local insights combined with global expertise that resonate with Indonesian consumers and drive business growth for our clients. I am excited to work with our talented team and esteemed clients like Kraft Heinz ABC to make a significant impact in this dynamic market,” Difa said.

The Indonesia office is the ninth local office in the APAC region, enlarging its footprint to Southeast Asia offices in Singapore and Malaysia.

Speaking about the office opening, Sir Martin Sorrell, Chairman of S4 Capital, said, “I am excited to add the 34th country to the uni-branded Media.Monks network, especially a market so significant, with 300 million consumers and over 167 million active on social media, the third largest in Asia. Indonesia’s GDP is forecast to be in the top five countries worldwide by 2050. Brands across the Country are looking for partners to help build progressive digital consumer connections to drive their business and we are excited to be part of that.”

Meanwhile, Munas Van Boonstra, managing director for Southeast Asia at Media.Monks, commented, “I believe the integrated brand, digital, data and social capabilities that Media.Monks can bring can make an impact in the market and I am proud to launch the newest part of the global monk family to help brands succeed in Indonesia and help Indonesian brands scale around Asia and the world.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – SEA-focused digital marketing agency Lion & Lion has announced two new leadership appointments for its Malaysia and Singapore units. They are Amelia Peng, the new business director for Malaysia, and Hendero Fin, the new business director for Singapore.

Both will report to John Campbell-Bruce, Lion & Lion’s regional managing director, and will focus on creating and strengthening client relationships in their respective markets while ensuring that the finest of data-integrated creative solutions remain at the core of all client services. 

Peng joins Lion & Lion as the newest member of the senior management team. She has been involved in branding and advertising for more than 15 years, working for both the client and agency sides. For several businesses, including Petronas, Grab, Nestle, Proton, AIG, Shell, Astro, and Maybank, she served as team leader for the client servicing division. After building her experience in branding and advertising, she spent a few years leading the marketing and strategy teams for companies like Disney and BookXcess before putting her attention back to what she truly loves – advertising. 

Meanwhile, Fin, who after managing Lion & Lion’s Indonesian market for almost two years, has relocated to Singapore to oversee the agency’s client servicing there. During his tenure as the business director of Indonesia, Fin oversaw the growth of the market with new wins such as biotechnology company Novozymes, and consumer brands Cool Air and Doublemint under Mars Wrigley. 

Fin is an advertising veteran, with 12 years of experience split evenly between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. He has managed clients from a range of industries, from telecommunications to consumer products. His portfolio includes well-known Indonesian and international brands such as Diageo, Indosat Ooredoo, Marlboro, Lazada, and Redoxon, as well as Mars Wrigley. 

Commenting on her appointment, Peng said, “It’s been such a warm welcome to the den. I thoroughly believe that a happy and engaged team will be inspired to do great work. Such a team requires a good leader who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty while leading the team through challenging times. Armed with my experience, I can’t wait to learn more from my team members. I am also confident that we will be able to enhance Lion & Lion’s status as a place where impactful and meaningful solutions are created for our clients.”

Fin also commented, “I am embracing this new role for two great reasons ‒ personal growth and to bring Lion & Lion even further ahead in Southeast Asia. I aim to grow Lion & Lion’s business here in Singapore, and in the near future, introduce a hub and spoke model to our potential clients in the region. Because of the multiplicity of nationalities and cultures we represent, our people are our most valuable asset, giving Lion & Lion an advantage in offering seamless and comprehensive solutions to our clients.”

Meanwhile, Campbell-Bruce said, “Amelia has integrated well with the Lion Malaysian team. She has quickly established herself and is already driving the business forward. We are very happy to have her on board and I am excited to see how she will help continue the agency’s rise in 2023 and beyond, in line with our expansion strategy.” 

He added, “Fin has been a strong leader for the Indonesian business over the past two years. He came in as a client director, and quickly established himself as an effective marketer and leader. He has shown great determination, talent and smart business acumen, which saw him promoted to business director. I am extremely excited to see him continue his development and take over the helm of the Singapore market, which is a core market for regional networks like Lion & Lion.”

Singapore — Full-service communications agency Redhill has officially launched Redhill Studio, a specialist division offering services for the designing of creative assets and web development. At the same time, the agency has also welcomed Aditya Menon as the division’s business director. He will spearhead the division and enhance Redhill’s broad range of services.

Menon holds an extensive understanding of the marketing and advertising industry having almost a decade of experience. He has extensive expertise in delivering meaningful integrated marketing campaigns having led multiple creative network agencies in India and Singapore namely JWT, Grey and BBDO. In his previous roles, Menon managed high-value clients like Google, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson as well as Singapore-based enterprises like RedMart.

Menon commented on his appointment, saying “Redhill Studio signifies our response to the evolution of communications agencies around the world in raising their competitiveness via full-fledged services. The Redhill Studio team is packed with a diverse pool of expert talent that ranges from graphic designers and video producers to IT specialists – we are ready to act as a one-stop creative and technology production hub to help Redhill solidify and expand our capabilities and offerings.”

Meanwhile, Ann-Marie Eu, COO of Redhill, said that they’re very excited to launch Redhill Studio and bring Menon on board. Eu added that visual and online content are crucial components in integrated communications campaigns.

“More organisations today seek to streamline their vendor engagements with agencies that possess diverse proficiencies that can reliably support the delivery of end-to-end, 360-degree services. We are confident of meeting this need of our clients, backed by a talented team who will be led by Menon, an industry veteran. Redhill Studio will help scale our offerings across markets as we work towards providing a holistic, well-rounded suite of services that cater to any of our client’s communications needs,” Eu said.

Redhill Studio offers services via three key verticals namely brand and design, video development and website creation. Under the first service, the division offers a wide array of services related to branding collaterals like print and packaging work required for client campaigns, as well as production of digital materials, including the pre-and post-production of digital content present in advertising and social media campaigns.

For video development, the studio produces video content that can be used as internal assets or those intended for external activities, alongside producing animations. Lastly, website creation involves streamlining the website development process, as the studio also specialises in coding and customising complex website applications while also simplifying product and user flows to optimise the user experience.

Redhill Studio will lead the agency’s provision of creative services for Singapore government communications campaigns – following Redhill’s appointment to the Singapore Ministry of Communications and Information’s Whole of Government panel of vendors.

Tokyo, Japan – Global communications network Publicis Groupe has appointed Tomoko Akizawa, former executive vice president and client growth leader at global communications company Edelman, to be its new managing director of MSL Japan and new business director of Publicis Groupe Japan.

In her new roles, Akizawa will further develop and deepen MSL’s presence in Japan. She will also lead the MSL team in strengthening its service capabilities to drive greater impact for their clients under the Publicis Groupe’s Power of One offering, which is a frictionless collaboration between all of Publicis Groupe agencies that are able to better service their clients and people. 

Akizawa brings with her 20 years of experience in communications. Aside from her most recent roles at Edelman Japan, she has also held the director of technology and digital practices role.

Commenting on her appointment, Akizawa said that she is excited to join MSL especially as it looks to strengthen its positioning in both corporate and integrated communications in the Japan market.

“Given how MSL is so closely connected to the different solutions under the Publicis Groupe, I strongly believe that MSL is uniquely positioned to contribute and deliver integrated communications solutions as part of the Power of One partnership,” she added.

Meanwhile, Gareth Mulryan, the CEO of Publicis Groupe Japan, believes that Akizawa’s senior appointment will enable them to offer a stronger suite of communications services to their clients via the Publicis Groupe’s service offering of Power of One. 

“I look forward to working with her as part of the Publicis Japan executive team and am confident that she will help to continue our growth in Japan,” said Mulryan.

Margaret Key, MSL’s CEO for APAC and AMA, commented, “With her extensive experience in public relations and integrated communications, MSL Japan will have greater prowess in delivering impact and influence for our clients. I look forward to working closely with Tomoko to scale MSL business in this key growth market.”

Singapore – As part of Lion & Lion’s ongoing expansion of their senior team in Singapore, the digital-first agency has Rebecca Lai, former business director at marketing agency Oliver, to be its new business director.

During her stint at Oliver, Lai led the UStudio Singapore and Bayer Southeast Asia teams, specializing in in-house content creation for the clients. Her career in communications spans more than 15 years, with experience leading accounts for international agencies in the WPP and Omnicom groups. Moreover, Lai attributes her success with major blue-chip brands to her strong understanding of business objectives, combined with insightful value propositions

In her new role, Lai will be responsible for driving Lion & Lion’s offerings in Singapore and the region, with a focus on maintaining the agency’s strong momentum in building networks with notable consumer and corporate brands. She will be reporting directly to Fredrik Gumpel, the chief executive officer of Lion & Lion.

Commenting on joining Lion & Lion, Lai said, “I am excited to partner with talented minds in Lion & Lion as we tackle the ever-evolving digital ecosystem for our clients. I think I have joined them at the right time, following the agency’s transformation, and I hope to contribute to our growth in the coming months,” said Rebecca, on joining the agency. 

Meanwhile, John Campbell-Bruce, Lion & Lion’s managing director for Indonesia, commented, “We are extremely excited to have Rebecca on board. She comes with a wealth of experience across all levels and I am confident that under her management, the Singapore office will continue to move forward and continue the agency’s transformation and ultimately achieve great results.”

Cheelip Ong, Lion & Lion’s regional chief creative officer, believes Lai’s experience in Singapore as a seasoned digital-native client servicing leader will prove invaluable to both our regional clients and to our growth in Singapore.

“She will be working closely with Jonn Dogra, our Creative Director and Head of Brand Experience for Singapore to apply digital-first solutions to all clients we serve, to mark a new era of transformation for our Singapore office,” said Ong.

Just recently, Lion & Lion Malaysia has appointed young talent from dentsu, Frederik Rasmussen, as its new client director, who will be responsible to augment the business development department of the agency.

Manila, Philippines – Havas Ortega, the media and communications group of the global Havas group in the Philippines, has appointed Mel Panabi, former vice president of marketing communications at energy tech business WeGen Distributed Energy Philippines, to be the new business director of its global public relations, social and experiential agency micro-network.

Panabi has more than 25 years of experience in public relations, corporate communication, stakeholder relations, and crisis management, as well as political communications, and marketing. He has worked on accounts and brands across industries like fintech, real estate, telecommunications, and entertainment, as well as renewables. 

In his new role, Panabi will now be responsible for developing new products and services that will further strengthen Red Havas’ position in the country’s public relations and brands landscape. 

Panabi believes that PR is building a relationship across different touchpoints in the customer journey. He shared that it is not just a campaign but a conversation with brands that consumers can trust.

“I am particularly looking forward to the new direction we’re going to take – highlighting sustainability as a centerpiece communication strategy as we partner with brands. I am also excited by our plans for 2022, as we align our efforts here in the Philippines with the standards and industry-leading initiatives of the global Red Havas brand,” said Panabi.

Jos Ortega, Havas Ortega’s chairman and CEO, noted that meaningful messages aligned to authentic values are what stakeholders look for, and that the new appointment is great support in achieving this.

“Mel Panabi brings with him a wealth of experience that will help Red Havas navigate through the new role of PR and corporate communication—one that is informed by thoughtful corporate responsibility and governance,” said Ortega.

Today, Red Havas in Australia has also announced the appointment of Lawrence Muskitta to be the head of the agency’s new public affairs offering in the market. The new division spans government relations, stakeholder engagement, patient and consumer advocacy, and public behavior change campaigns, as well as policy monitoring and intelligence gathering, crisis management, and strategic partnerships.

Sydney, Australia – Virtue, the creative agency by media company VICE, has appointed Victoria Fernandez, former account director of advertising firm BBH Singapore, to be its new business director for APAC.

In her previous role at BBH APAC, Fernandez has led brands to create award-winning work for big companies like Nike, Google, Netflix, and Disney, as well as Unilever, and Uber, among others. Aside from this, she has also worked as account executive at Ogilvy & Mather.

As the new business director of Virtue, Fernandez will be leading key APAC clients and driving new business. She will also be bringing her mentoring experience, where she led BBH’s internship program during her stint, to help develop Virtue’s young talent and ahead of the launch of a new young creators initiative next year.

Commenting on her new role, Fernandez said, “To join an agency which is able to operate from within VICE to see the cultural forces shaping society even before they become trends, is very exciting, to say the least,” said Fernandez.

Just recently, Virtue has also announced the appointment of Lesley John, former head of client services of creative technology company MediaMonks, to be its new managing director for APAC, where she will be establishing the company’s focus on the region as a key growth market.

John commented on Fernandez’s appointment, “Victoria has significant experience working with global brands that recognize the importance of playing a visible and valued role inside the culture. I’m delighted she is bringing her expertise to Virtue as we continue to grow the agency across the region.”

This November, Virtue has entered MARKETECH APAC’s Top 5 Stories for John’s appointment. 

During the interview, John shared her advice to brands when creating content for APAC audiences.

“Don’t be afraid to tap into emerging themes or subcultures if they’re relevant to the theme [or] story you want to deliver. Be authentic, reward your audience intellectually. I guess there’s always a temptation about going to the lowest common denominator, [and] that results to be very bland, inauthentic, doesn’t feel like it’s coming from a real point of view,” John said.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Digital marketing agency Lion & Lion has announced the appointment of Wai Sim Liew as the new business director for its Malaysian operations. Said appointment aims to reinforce the agency’s growth in the market.

Through her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing the client service department to further build on the agency’s dedication towards helping ambitious brands unlock growth.

Furthermore, she will be also taking a focused look at strengthening how the agency delivers work for its clients, while ensuring that creativity and sound strategy remains at the core of all activities.

Wai Sim brings with her 14 years of experience in the communications, advertising and media industries. Prior to joining Lion & Lion, she built her career in other agencies such as Publicis, Leo Burnett, BBDO/Proximity and most recently, Ogilvy, where she was a client service director.

“Having worked with Lion & Lion in the past and seeing them shine in their expertise on the digital front is super inspiring. I am thrilled to be joining this dynamic team bursting with their own individual talents and looking forward to working closely with every one of them to deliver business-orientated impact for our clients,” she said, regarding her appointment.

She will be reporting to Jeppe Carlsen, managing director at Lion & Lion Malaysia.

“We are excited to welcome Wai Sim to our senior management team, where she can apply her breadth of experience supporting clients from a wide range of industries. Our agency has experienced strong growth recently, particularly in accounts that have a regional scope and we intend to continue this momentum. Her entrepreneurial spirit and ability to deliver impactful results will be invaluable as we further improve our positive business growth and product offerings,” Carlsen stated.

Recently, the agency has been appointed by beverage company Carlsberg Malaysia to handle the social media account of their wheat beer product 1664 Blanc. Separately, the Singaporean arm of the agency has been appointed by Kodak to handle its global social communications, and the Indonesian arm of the agency being appointed once again by cosmetics company L’Oreal to handle its extended remit in Indonesia.