Chief Creative Officer Archives

Thailand–Advertising agency Leo Burnett has appointed Prasert Vijitpawan as the new chief creative officer in Thailand.

In his new role, Vijitpawan will work with major clients, including Nescafé, McDonald’s, First Choice, Samsung, Suntory’s Brands, Lotus’s, Kubota, and Visa.

Vijitpawan is known as an exceptional creative who has received numerous awards from prestigious award-giving bodies such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, New York Festivals, The One Show to Spikes Asia, ADFEST, and many more.

During his first tenure with Publicis Groupe, he spent five years at Saatchi & Saatchi Thailand and left in 2011. Prior to his appointment at Leo Burnett, Vijitpawan spent 13 years at Ogilvy Thailand, where he amassed a number of awards and accolades.

Speaking on the appointment, Thipayachand Hasdin, CEO at Leo Burnett Thailand, said, “Prasert’s appointment signifies a pivotal moment for Leo Burnett Thailand. Being among Thailand’s foremost creative talents, his presence underscores our dedication to creating impactful and culturally resonant brand narratives rooted in a deep understanding of human behaviour. With Prasert on board, we’re poised to embark on a thrilling new chapter.”

Ajay Thrivikraman, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia, also stated, “Leo Burnett Thailand, with its world-class talent, is renowned globally for its memorably great creative work that makes Thai advertising unique. We believe that Prasert has the calibre and capability to lead this agency into the future.”

Meanwhile, commenting on his new role, Vijitpawan remarked, “Leo Burnett Thailand is one of the outstanding stars in the Leo Burnett global network, so it is a huge honour to be part of the team again. I have long admired the audacious bravery of Leo Burnett’s work, its visionary clients, and our shared belief that creativity has the power to transform human behaviour.”

Singapore – Valerie Madon, currently the chief creative officer for Southeast Asia at McCann Worldgroup, is expanding her current role to include the Asia-Pacific region. Madon will be responsible for creative product across Asia as the network continues in its mission to be the irrefutable leader in the business of creativity.

She also retains her existing role as Chair of McCann Worldgroup’s APAC Creative Leadership Community (CLC).

Madon joined McCann Worldgroup in May 2023 from her previous role as the director of creative shop for SEA and emerging markets at Meta. Her 20 years of experience spans senior network roles at Havas, JWT and VMLY&R, along with two stints at Meta/Facebook.

Speaking on her appointment, Madon said, “It’s a privilege to work with all the diverse talent we have in this region. Their collaboration, hunger and integrity inspires me every day and I look forward to creating more meaningful work together for our clients.”

Meanwhile, Ghassan Harfouche, APAC regional president at McCann Worldgroup and Prasoon Joshi, regional chairman, CEO, and CCO of McCann Worldgroup India, said in a joint statement, “Initially Valerie was tasked with focusing her efforts on our Southeast Asia hub, which houses many key regional clients. We’re delighted that she will now expand her remit to cover the rest of the region, as an inspirational leader for our creative teams across all markets. She has a strong track record in APAC leadership roles and we are confident that she will be an excellent partner and elevate our work.”

Singapore – To strengthen its operation in Asia, global brand and customer experience agency VMLY&R has announced the appointment of Raymond Chin as its chief creative officer for the region. He will report to VMLY&R Asia CEO Yi-Chung Tay.

In his new role, Chin will enhance and develop the agency’s creative capabilities and service offerings across Asia whilst leading its teams in delivering world-class solutions for clients.

His appointment is also a part of agency’s strategy to attract the best industry talent and fulfill its mission of building connected brands.

Chin brings with him an experience in delivering high-impact creative, digital innovation and experience solutions for both agencies and tech consultancies. He has worked for brands including Ikea, Unilever, Nike, LVMH, Shiseido, Starbucks, Huawei, VW, and Ferrari, amongst others.

Before joining VMLY&R, Chin also worked as a chief creative officer at Wunderman Thompson based in Shanghai, China.

CEO Yi-Chung Tay said that Chin is one of the creative leaders who truly understands the importance of creativity for all dimensions of the brand experience, which is also needed in every touch point of customer journey.

“The freedom to think bigger than many agencies are able, excites me greatly, and I look forward to adding my own blend of magic into the mix,” Chin added.

This month, VMLY&R has promoted Paul Nagy as its chief creative officer for Asia-Pacific region.

Asia Pacific – Global brand experience agency VMLY&R has announced the promotion of Paul Nagy as its chief creative officer for Asia-Pacific region. He previously served as the chief creative officer for Australia and New Zealand.

In his new role, Nagy will be responsible for overseeing 21 offices across ten countries in Asia and ANZ whilst strengthening the agency’s client partnerships. He will also help in creating deeper connections between brands and their audiences through storytelling and creative innovation.

Nagy brings with him experience working on creative campaigns. Before joining VMLY&R in 2018, he also assumed the chief creative officer position at Y&R Group Australia, one part of the merged latter.

Yi-Chung Tay, CEO at VMLY&R Asia, said that they are excited to work with Nagy with his new role because they have seen his ability and consistency in bringing substantial impact to the agency.

Meanwhile, Thomas Tearle, CEO at VMLY&R ANZ, added, “Our momentum as a network is down in no small way to Paul’s energy. His unique perspective of combining creative excellence and innovation to solve client challenges coupled with his wonderfully infectious personality is such a great asset.”

Nagy commented, “My job is a simple one – support the amazing talent we have in our network and let them be the best they can be. I’m incredibly lucky to work with such a talented team across Australia and New Zealand, and I’m already impressed with the capability and firepower we have across the rest of Asia.”

VMLY&R’s recent appointments also include Didi Pirinyuang as its new chief creative officer for Malaysia.

Previously, MARKETECH APAC got a chance to speak with Thomas Tearle, CEO of VMLY&R ANZ, as part of the Agency Leadership Decoded series. In it, Tearle shared how the agency creates success from within to achieve its mission of ‘creating connected brands.’

Hong Kong – Global brand and design consultancy Landor & Fitch has named Teemu Suviala as its new chief creative officer. Suviala was most recently the global head of brand design at Meta’s Reality Labs.

In his new role, he will take responsibility for Landor & Fitch’s award-winning creative teams in studios across more than 20 countries worldwide, working with clients such as Apple, Netflix, Coca-Cola, LEGO and the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Reporting to Jane Geraghty, global CEO at Landor & Fitch, Suviala will lead the continued expansion and evolution of the company’s design offer, with a particular focus on integrating new technologies.

During his previous stint at Meta, he and his team worked closely on the company’s high-profile rebrand from Facebook, including the naming, branding and visual identity. Alongside this, Suviala led the expansive brand design work in bringing Meta’s metaverse concepts to the fore across breakthrough technologies such as augmented and virtual reality.

He is an entrepreneur and adventurous designer, bringing over 25 years of creative and management experience. An impressive portfolio includes creatives for clients including Amnesty International, Google, Spotify and Uniqlo.

Speaking on his new role, Suviala said, “An incredible set of clients. Award-winning work. Stubbornly future-forward thinking. Landor & Fitch holds huge appeal to a creative mind, and the opportunity for growth is unlimited. But it was the culture here that spoke to me most – a singular vision and commitment to working as one to deliver the extraordinary and make a positive difference.”

He added, “I’m excited to join a culture that not only obsesses about creativity and innovation to achieve success but aspires to reach it together. I’m keen to explore how we can be at the forefront of the Imagination Age with new technologies such as A.I. and by blurring the lines between our physical and virtual worlds to create the better, bolder brand experiences which appeal to the consumers, clients, and stakeholders of today and tomorrow.”

Geraghty said, “I am delighted that Teemu is joining our team. He’s an exceptional designer with a long track record of delivering transformative work and a compassionate leader with a truly global view. The breadth of his experience will be invaluable as we continue to expand and evolve our offer to meet the needs of our ambitious clients. With our recent rapid growth and influx of new talent, Teemu’s passion for nurturing creative cultures makes him the perfect creative leader for us.”

Rob Reilly, global chief creative officer at WPP, said: “It’s hard to find a global talent with as long a track record of creative excellence as Teemu. But what impresses me most about him is his commitment to bringing greater diversity to the design industry. We can’t wait to see the impact he has on our people and clients.”

Bangkok, Thailand – Ogilvy Thailand has elevated Gumpon Laksanajinda, its former executive creative director, to be its new chief creative officer, where he brings in craftsmanship and awards expertise.

Under the new role, Laksanajinda will be providing creative leadership, strengthening and diversifying Ogilvy’s creative capabilities, and empowering teams across all creative functions.

A true visionary who skillfully combined creativity, data, and technology to create breakthrough communication works, Laksanajinda is the creative force behind the company’s consistent wins at Cannes Lions and other prominent awards during the past few decades.

Laksanajinda noted that moving forward, he will focus on enhancing the agency’s creative capabilities in four key areas.

“The first is Variety. Thanks to our comprehensive services that include Advertising, PR & Influence, Experience, Health, and Consulting, we are able to solve clients’ marketing problems creatively and innovatively. [The] second is Speed & Scale. We will utilise [the] latest technologies in Creative Cloud to make our creative process seamless and our creative works scalable in order to serve clients’ increasingly dynamic needs,” said Laksanajinda.

He added, “The third is Talent. We welcome fresh and seasoned talents from a wide variety of backgrounds, skills, and interests, as long as they are passionate about using creativity to make big differences. The last area is Effective Impact. We are convinced that works with mere commercial results are not enough to grow and sustain brands in the long run. We will join hands with our clients to push forward projects that promote [a] positive impact for the people and the planet on top of business performance. We will make sure our clients walk with confidence toward the future with us by their side.”

Meanwhile, Nopadol Srikieatikajohn, chairman of Ogilvy Thailand, said, “It is about time that Gumpon uses his accumulated experiences and expertise to bring our company to a new era of success and to pass on our unique DNA to the next generation of creative talents.”

In August 2022, Ogilvy also appointed Chatree Chokmongkolsatian as its newest chief strategy officer in Thailand.

Taiwan – BBDO Taiwan has appointed Shih-Yen Lee as its new chief creative officer, which took effect on October 3 this year.

Prior to BBDO, he also worked as creative director of Wunderman Thompson, DDB Shanghai executive creative director, and Unisurf Digital Marketing executive creative director in Taiwan.

Since joining in 2008, he has held top creative positions at leading ad firms in both China and Taiwan, covering multiple brands and categories. His works have received numerous awards, including the Effies, London International Advertising Awards, New York Advertising Awards, Clio Awards, The One Show, Spikes Asia and Cannes Lions.

Speaking on his appointment, he said, “It’s an honour to join BBDO. I can see there is a commitment to creativity, as well as a passion for creating creative work that not only enhances the brand image but also increases sales and revenue for the client. As a final say, for now, I’d like to borrow the term “brainstorm” from BBDO co-founder Alex Faickney Osborn – I look forward to storming creative problems with the team and creating more amazing work that will truly blow clients away.”

Alan Hung, managing director at BBDO Taiwan, said, “I’m thrilled to have Shih-Yen join us as our new Chief Creative Officer. Aside from his 24 years of experience working abroad and also in Taiwan, he has an outstanding collection of awards under his belt ranging from LIA, the New York Advertising, Clio and two Cannes Lions. Shih Yen is an exceptional storyteller, and I’m looking forward to working with him on BBDO’s next chapters.”

Meanwhile, Wai Foong Leong, chairman and CCO of BBDO Greater China, commented, “It’s been ten years since I got to know Shih-Yen. I’ve watched Shih-Yen win clients and awards one after another in different battlefields, wondering when I’ll be able to collaborate with him. That dream has now finally come true! I’m confident that with Shih Yen, BBDO Taiwan will shine even brighter in the years to come. Exciting times ahead for sure.”

India – Dentsu Creative India has appointed Joy Mohanty as its new chief creative officer. In his new role, Mohanty will be instrumental in accelerating the agency’s growth trajectory in the North region.

Moreover, Mohanty will be aligning with Dentsu Creative India’s ambition and work closely with the creative teams to build solutions that have the power to transform brands and businesses through the lens of Modern Creativity.

In a career spanning over three decades, Mohanty’s professional journey has been deeply rooted in Indian culture. He has worked on a host of brands such as Maruti Suzuki, Google, Nestle, and Absolut, as well as Thums Up, and HP, amongst others. In his previous roles, he held creative leadership positions in agencies like Publicis Capital and Lowe Lintas. Prior to joining dentsu, he also led Goldilocks – an agency from the Usha International Group.

Some of the notable campaigns Joy has worked on include Maruti Suzuki’s ‘Kitna Deti Hai’, Absolut’s ‘Colourless’, Google Maps 2-wheeler’s ‘Paaon Zameen Se Door Rahenge’, and Housing.com’s ‘Yahan Search Khatam Karo’, amongst others. He was also a part of the ‘Money Made Simple’ campaign for Google Pay and Google Assistant’s India launch.

Commenting on her appointment, Mohanty said, “I am excited to join forces with Ajay and Amit and be part of the superb talent hub they have turned Dentsu Creative into. An enviable list of clients makes this a big opportunity. I look forward to adding to the energy and doing some great work.”

Meanwhile, Ajay Gahlaut, group chief creative officer at Dentsu Creative, said that the agency is transforming into a powerhouse of creativity, and they are rapidly building capabilities to stay ahead of the curve in a dynamically evolving industry.

“However, the tallest structures are built on strong foundations. Joy’s appointment is, thus, vital to our plan for times ahead. He is a veteran who has worked on some of the most groundbreaking campaigns. I am certain that his experience will bring solidity and wisdom into the fresh, bubbling cauldron of creativity at dentsu,” added Gahlaut.

Hong Kong – Ogilvy has announced new senior hires in its Hong Kong and Indonesia offices, namely John Davenport as chief creative officer for Hong Kong and Woon Hoh as chief creative officer for Indonesia.

Both will be responsible for driving Ogilvy’s creative agenda, delivering innovative solutions at the intersection of Ogilvy’s core capabilities, as well as developing new talent.

Hoh has worked at top network agencies all over Asia – including Darcy, BBDO, McCann, JWT and HAKUHODO. Prior to taking up the role as chief creative officer of HAKUHODO ASEAN, as well as executive creative director of HAKUHODO Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Davenport joins from Havas South Africa, where he was responsible for all creative output at the agency, with a track record of facilitating meaningful connections between brands and people through creative, media and technology.

Katryna Mojica, CEO of Ogilvy Hong Kong, said, “John’s strong body of work speaks for itself, but he’s also been great at shaping people and teams, and is someone that you genuinely want to work with. It is great to have him join us in Hong Kong and am looking forward to partnering with him.”

Meanwhile, Reed Collins, chief creative officer for Ogilvy in APAC, commented, “As we emerge from the worst of the pandemic, we are seeing renewed energy from our clients across the region looking to accelerate their marketing ambitions. We are responding in kind with significant investments in our senior creative leadership whilst focusing on our commitment to borderless creativity and agile growth mindset.”

He added, “John and Woon are both highly talented and well-respected creative leaders known for their ability to come up with big ideas that drive business-changing impact for clients. I have admired Woon’s work for many years. His experience and intimate knowledge of Indonesia in particular adds to our growing arsenal of creative firepower in the region. John has shone at three of South Africa’s most renowned creative agencies including one under his own namesake. We are so fortunate to have this positive ball of energy now in Hong Kong.”

Singapore – Merlee Jayme, currently serving as the chief creative officer for dentsu Asia-Pacific, has announced that she is leaving the company following six years of service from the company. Jayme became part of dentsu when the company acquired her agency Jayme Syfu in 2016.

After joining the network in 2016, she was tasked with co-running the newly formed dentsu McGarrybowen as global co-president with John Dupuis in 2020. Following that role, she was then promoted to chief creative officer for dentsu Asia-Pacific.

Speaking on her departure, she recalls that her main goal with joining dentsu was to upgrade and update her agency’s skills and capabilities with technology and innovation, excel in data and experience, discover the secret to amazing creativity and to belong to an inclusive and diverse community that celebrates cultural differences.

“During these years at dentsu, balancing between building a business and creating life-changing work was tough. But we managed to stay focused, attract great people and clients plus more importantly, create a reputation for work that made a big difference in people’s lives and the world,” she said.

As she leaves the company, she is currently serving as ADFEST’s grand jury head, D&AD’s jury president for Radio and Audio, and one of the Cannes Lions Titanium jury members this June. She plans to continue her initiatives for women in leadership and finally launch her second book titled ‘Chairmom’ in July.

Meanwhile, Fred Levron, global chief creative officer at dentsu, shared, “It has been a joy to get to know Merlee and witness her bring her magical blend of entrepreneurialism, creativity and empathy to the table every day.”