Tag: chief executive officer

London, United Kingdom – Global marketing research firm YouGov has named Steve Hatch, recently the vice president for Northern Europe at Meta, as its new chief executive officer. Said appointment officially takes effect on August 1 this year.

Hatch will replace current YouGov CEO Stephan Shakespeare who will assume the role of non-executive chair at the company. Shakespeare will work closely with Hatch in the initial months of his appointment to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities at the company.

He has over 30 years of experience leading high-growth marketing, media, and technology companies. He was appointed as Facebook’s first regional director for the United Kingdom in 2014, overseeing a fundamental evolution of the platform. In 2016, he became Meta’s vice president for Northern Europe, managing all business operations and strategy for the region, driving the introduction of Meta’s e-commerce products, and development of the company’s insight tools.

Prior to joining Facebook, Hatch spent 15 years at WPP, his final role being CEO of media agency MEC. Before joining WPP, Steve worked in strategy roles at Omnicom and Y&R.

Speaking on his appointment, he said, “YouGov is a business I have closely followed and admired for some time. The company is in a strong position with a clear strategic direction and significant investment in technology and international reach driving robust client demand and consistent top-line growth performance in recent years.” 

He added, “I look forward to working closely with Stephan, the wider board and the full YouGov team on the great opportunities ahead in the third strategic growth plan as we look to create further value for customers, partners, shareholders, and colleagues.”

Singapore – To set its growth path, digital agency ADK Connect announces the appointment of Rie Otsuka who will simultaneously work as its chief executive officer for Singapore and emerging countries and chief growth officer for ADK Global.

In her new role, Otsuka will be responsible for unlocking the value of the markets in Australia, India, Singapore, and other emerging markets while maintaining the network’s continued success.

Her appointments are also a part of the agency’s commitment to address the post-pandemic communication landscape and prepare itself as a future-ready communications partner. 

Otsuka brings with her an experience in CRM, digital, and global marketing. Before joining ADK, she led the digital and CRM practices at McCann Worldgroup, particularly the global teams for Mitsubishi Electric, Hitachi, and Panasonic. 

Yasuyuki Katagi, chief executive officer at ADK Global, said that they need a leader who will oversee the transformation and structure the change management processes to make it possible.

“With Rie Otsuka’s pedigree in agency leadership and her rich experiences in digital, her dual appointment makes perfect sense. Singapore remains a prime market for many clients as a regional hub,” he added.

Meanwhile, Otsuka added, “Teamwork is a crucial strength of the ADK network. It may not be a new buzzword, but it is an old adage that is challenging to upkeep. We must focus on fostering and empowering great talent to move forward in our highly competitive marketing industry.”

ADK Connect specialises in digital, creative and performance media. It partners with clients in solving marketing challenges by providing innovative solutions.

United States – After her longtime service for the video platform YouTube, Susan Wojcicki announces that she will step down from her role as its chief executive officer. Assuming the role in 2014, Wojcicki helped the platform to play its role for creators and video consumers worldwide.

Wojcicki has been working with Google for 25 years, being one of the first employees who took marketing roles, co-created Google Image Search, and led Google’s first Video and Book search, amongst others. She also served as senior vice president of Adwords and AdSense.

In a personal note posted on YouTube’s official blog, Wojcicki said that she’s stepping down from her position to prioritise her family, health, and personal projects. However, upon leaving YouTube, she will take advisory roles for Google and its corporate parent, Alphabet Inc.

Wojcicki will be replaced by Neal Mohan, who was appointed as YouTube’s chief product officer in 2015. Mohan has worked with Wojcicki for 15 years, and helped in launching some of their biggest products, including YouTube TV, YouTube Music and Premium and Shorts.

Wojcicki said that she will support Mohan in the transition period by working with some YouTube teams, coaching team members and meeting with creators.

“I’ll still be around, so I’ll have a chance to thank the thousands of people from all across the company and the world who I’ve worked with and learned from,” she added.

Singapore – Universal McCann has named former chief innovation officer at EssenceMediacom Sasha Savic as the company’s new chief executive officer. In his new role, Savic will galvanise the UM community around a growth mindset and leverage the agency’s industry-leading data capabilities to optimise and energise its go-to-market strategy.

In addition, he will be setting the vision for the agency’s global growth while also overseeing the strategy, product, operations, and management of clients including American Express, Honda, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss, Nestlé and Sony, amongst others. 

Savic will report directly to Mediabrands Global CEO, Eileen Kiernan.

Prior to his C-suite role at EssenceMediacom, he also served as the chief executive officer for the US team at MediaCom for a decade. He also served several leadership roles at McCann New York and UM, leading media efforts for brands like Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, Intel, and Mastercard.

Speaking on his appointment, Savik stated that building connections is what drives him– from strengthening the community and partnering with clients to connecting consumers’ needs to a brand’s purpose and value.

“The role of media is timeless, and I am excited to join the global leadership team at UM, the undisputed leader in unlocking the power of data to enhance the purpose and longevity of brands,” he said.

He further added, “I look forward to bringing together content, data and brand meaning to create sustainable, long-term growth at UM, where I first got my media chops and fell in love with this industry.”

Kiernan commented, “A tenacious and dynamic leader who cares deeply about people, clients and community, Sasha is a consummate relationship builder who has driven results for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Sasha’s love of the business complements our strong, values-driven global culture, and his will to win and commitment to excellence will supercharge how we show up in the marketplace and for our clients. We are thrilled to welcome him back to the IPG family.”

Manila, Philippines – Current chairman and co-founder of recently-launched GoTyme Bank Jojo Malolos has joined Philippine payment gateway company PayMongo as its new president and chief executive officer. He replaces interim CEO Isabel Ridad, as the latter announced stepping down from the company to pursue new ventures.

In his new role, Malolos will be responsible for re-shaping PayMongo’s plans for the company’s next phase of growth. He will be also leading the efforts to ensure the company’s success by implementing a broad range of transformation initiatives.

Moreover, he will also lead the introduction of PayMongo’s next generation of products and services with a view to better serve its existing client base and drive the advancement of the internet economy in the Philippines and more broadly, Southeast Asia. 

With PayMongo’s newly-issued EMI licence, Malolos will continue to direct the organisation to driving significant impact in the digital financial services sector.

Aside from being its chairman, he also served as GoTyme Bank’s president and chief executive officer previously. In the past, Malolos was also the chief executive officer of JG Digital Equity Ventures, the digital ventures arm of national conglomerate JG Summit. Aside from this, senior roles at Smart Communications and Cignifi also go under his belt.

“The Board has confidence in Jojo’s experience and his ability to effect and manage change as he brings significant experience in M&A, organisational transformation and a track record in the fintech, venture capital, digital banking and innovation ecosystems.” the company has said in a press statement.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – DEPT®, a global digital agency, today announced that Matt Lynch will take on the role of chief executive officer for the EMEA region to accelerate growth across Europe. He will support global CEO Dimi Albers, and work alongside DEPT®’s other regional leaders including Missy Foristall for the Americas and Vishnu Mohan for Asia-Pacific. 

Lynch was previously CEO of FEED/DEPT®, an agency under DEPT that specialises in delivering hyper-personalised content at scale for brands such as eBay, Gumtree, and Ancestry. While based in the UK, he will be responsible for driving growth across EMEA, expanding the agency’s service lines, and growing the teams in each market. 

His appointment comes off the back of a year of growth for DEPT® globally. The agency won several competitive pitches for clients like BMW, Diageo, Cisco, Constellation Brands, Gucci, Samsung, Inter Milan, and Reckitt Benckiser, and added a number of new agencies including Hello Monday, Dogstudio, 3Q and Two Bulls to the family.

Furthermore, DEPT®’s operations in Europe has reportedly registered exponential growth working with brands such as Philips, Amazon Prime, H&M, and the Eurovision Song Contest.

Speaking on his appointment, Lynch said, “In addition to being true pioneers of marketing and technology, DEPT® boasts an incredible team and client roster across Europe. I’m incredibly excited to work more closely with the talented and diverse people we have across the region, bringing my experience in running a global business to help DEPT® reach its ambitions.” 

Meanwhile, Albers commented, “Europe is historically our home market and has been key to making DEPT® the best and most innovative digital native agency in the world. So we created this role to drive collaboration, efficiency and ultimately growth across the region.”

He added, “Since Matt and his team joined us, he has played a significant part in further elevating operations and in continuing to grow relationships with existing clients, such as eBay. He’s also been involved in the launch of our creative automation practice and serving as interim managing director in Germany. I’m stoked to see what he achieves next in this new position.”

Manila, Philippines – Multinational insurance company AXA in the Philippines has named Bernardo Serrano Lopez as its new president and chief executive officer. He joins AXA Philippines following his recent stint as chief executive officer at AXA Colpatria, the company’s insurance arm in Colombia.

Lopez is an industry veteran with more than 20 years of senior leadership experience. He began his journey with AXA in Chile in 1998 before he was appointed regional CEO for AXA Latin America in 2001 and subsequently general manager of AXA Spain in 2003. 

Between 2006 and 2011, he left AXA to set up his own successful company. In 2011, he rejoined AXA as CEO of AXA Brazil, overseeing the arrival of AXA in South America. He was later appointed as deputy CEO of AXA Colpatria in 2014, where he led the company’s entry in Colombia. He was named CEO of AXA Colpatria in 2016.

Speaking on his new role, Lopez said, “AXA has been part of my professional life for more than two decades, and I am thrilled to join one of the fastest growing markets for insurance, here in the Philippines.”

He added, “I look forward to bringing a fresh perspective to AXA Philippines as we continue to work together to help our customers protect what matters most to them.” 

Meanwhile, Gordon Watson, chief executive officer at AXA Asia and Africa, commented, “With Bernardo’s extensive experience as a chief executive officer in the insurance industry and his entrepreneurial spirit and track record of transforming businesses, he is the perfect lead for our strategic ambitions in the Philippines.”

Wellington, New Zealand – Long-time tech executive Sukhinder Singh Cassidy has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Xero. She succeeds Steve Vamos after serving as CEO for almost five years.

Cassidy’s appointment fully takes effect on February 1, 2023, albeit she will join Xero this November. Through the transition, she will work closely with Vamos related to the CEO transition.

She is a long-time experienced Silicon Valley executive, with more than 25 years’ global leadership experience, including as president of Asia Pacific & Latin America at Google; president at StubHub; founder of theBoardlist; founder of Joyus, where she was CEO; and co-founder of Yodlee.

Speaking on her appointment, Cassidy said, “I’m thrilled to be appointed as CEO, and appreciate the Xero Board’s confidence in me. What excites me about Xero is the people and culture of the company and the passion Xero’s partners and customers have for our product as well as the large Total Addressable Market opportunity.”

She added, “I believe Xero is a critical business tool for small businesses and their advisors. There are huge opportunities in front of us and I’m committed to building on the business’ great momentum, in line with Xero’s values. I’m looking forward to meeting Xero’s people, partners, customers and shareholders around the world, and leading the business through its next stage.”

David Thodey, chair at Xero, said, “As Xero continues to focus on achieving our global ambitions, we’re delighted to appoint someone of Sukhinder’s calibre as CEO to lead Xero through our next phase of growth. Sukhinder’s appointment follows a rigorous global recruitment process where we considered a number of exceptional candidates.”

He added, “Founded in New Zealand and ASX-listed, Xero has enormous opportunities to accelerate the adoption of cloud and digital technologies by accountants, bookkeepers and small businesses around the world. Sukhinder is based in Northern California and expects to spend considerable time in New Zealand, Australia and Xero’s other international markets.”

Thodey also acknowledged Vamos’s significant contribution to Xero’s growth and development.

“Steve has overseen significant expansion of Xero including completing several acquisitions in Canada, the US, Sweden, Singapore, Denmark, Australia and the UK; completing two capital raises; operationalising our global sales team and go-to-market channels; and introducing sustainability and climate targets for Xero,” he said.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – AirAsia X, the long-haul budget airline under the airasia airline fleet, has announced that Tony Fernandes is stepping down from his role as acting group CEO role of the airline. According to AirAsia X, Fernandes will focus on his much-larger role as the group CEO of Capital A.

“I am confident that AAX will come back stronger providing a great value mid-range travel, led by the senior leadership teams in Malaysia and Thailand. I’m now going to focus on delivering significant value to shareholders of Capital A, including the AirAsia Aviation Group, aviation services, logistics, travel, fintech and the e-commerce lifestyle platform,” Fernandes said.

Fernandes’ resignation from the AirAsia X board comes months after Rafidah Aziz stepped down from her role as chairman of AirAsia X.

“I went in with a clear mandate to restart AirAsia X and bring it back to life from hibernation. I am happy that this has been accomplished with a very edifying plan for 20 aircraft for the AAX Group— 13 aircraft for AAX and seven for Thai AAX,” Fernandes added.

AirAsia X has also announced the appointment of Tunku Dato’ Mahmood Fawzy will be appointed as the independent non-executive director of Thai AirAsia X (TAAX).

“I am thrilled to join the TAAX board of directors as the Group embarks on our new phase of growth as a predominantly mid-range airline. Our strategy is to focus on flying our most popular and profitable medium haul routes first, which have proven to be successful in the past including leveraging cargo operations in key markets,” Fawzy said.

Sydney, Australia – Jessica White, a renowned digital and performance expert, has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Reprise Australia, effective November 1 this year. This adds significant firepower to Reprise’s capabilities as it continues to build its global reputation as a full service digitally-led performance agency.

Reporting directly to CEO Mediabrands Australia Mark Coad, White also takes an immediate place on Mediabrands’ executive leadership team.

She has worked in the media industry for nearly 15 years – both agency and client side – the majority of which has been spent leading the development and implementation of data-led transformation in media and brand communications.

White has held senior roles both internationally and locally within Mediabrands, recently returning to Australia from NYC while maintaining her global head of activation role with Initiative. Prior to her role as head of activation, she was head of data and technology for AKA Kinesso NYC, driving the commercial data and programmatic strategy across the business.

Speaking on her appointment, she said, “Increasingly I hear clients wanting more accountability for their media spend, so better connecting media to business outcomes will be an area of focus. In partnership with our agencies, Reprise is uniquely positioned to drive the brand and performance cohesion needed to achieve this.”

She added, “It’s an exciting time to be in the industry and I can’t wait to develop my team’s skills and capabilities to deliver truly outstanding work for our clients.”

With her CEO appointment, White takes over Andy Holford who stepped into the role of interim CEO earlier this year.

Coad said, “I am delighted Jessica is joining Reprise, as a leader I just know she is going to shine and under her watch Reprise will continue to go from strength to strength. The business is pumping; the team are enthused and the clients are enjoying some truly wonderful work. I look forward to spending the next few months working alongside Jess as we transition into a new era of Reprise’s history.”