Singapore – Global communications firm Edelman has announced that Yuliani Setiadi, most recently the head of digital for Hong Kong and Taiwan, will be relocating to Singapore as she takes on the new role of head of digital for Southeast Asia

In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Setiadi details how her primary responsibility will be to lead Edelman’s digital strategy for client solutions across Southeast Asia, ensuring that their approach not only aligns with the fast-paced evolution of the market but also places trust at the core of everything the organisation does.

“I will be focusing on integrating digital innovation with Edelman’s deep commitment to building trust between brands and their audiences. This means driving data-driven strategies that respect privacy, creating Active Social content that resonates authentically, and fostering transparent communication that builds long-term relationships. By anchoring our work in trust, we can drive not just engagement but meaningful action and sustained growth for our clients,” she said.

Setiadi continues to report to Jamshed Wadia, vice chair of digital for Edelman Asia Pacific.

“Yuliani’s ability to integrate trust into every aspect of her work is what sets her apart,” comments Wadia. “She brings a well-rounded perspective, with deep experience not only in digital but also in integrated marketing across a wide range of industries—from CPG, retail, and automotive to B2B and healthcare. Her creative and human-centric approach, combined with her extensive regional expertise, will be crucial as we continue to scale our digital capabilities in Southeast Asia.”

What is up for priority at new Edelman role

For Setiadi, her new role priority is strategies that combine creativity with trust-building, adding that in the digital space, it’s not just about reaching audiences but about connecting with them in genuine and impactful ways.

“I plan to focus on developing digital strategies that are transparent, data-driven, and rooted in a deep understanding of human behaviour. By prioritising trust, we can create digital experiences that not only capture attention but also inspire loyalty and advocacy,” she said.

She also added that she want to explore how the industry can use emerging technologies, like AI and immersive experiences, in ways that enhance trust by providing value and transparency to consumers.

Over the course of an extensive 18-year career in brand planning, digital and integrated marketing, Setiadi has worked in both Asia and the Netherlands. Prior to joining Edelman in 2022, she held various leadership roles at Ogilvy that saw her lead significant client relationships and expand the agency’s digital offerings in both Indonesia and Hong Kong.

In her previous role as head of digital for Edelman in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Setiadi demonstrated a strong commitment to merging creativity with data-driven insights, while building impactful relationships between brands and their audiences. In SEA, she plans to prioritise a holistic approach to digital transformation, ensuring that digital strategies continue to elevate the level of trust an organisation holds amongst its consumers.

“My time at Ogilvy taught me the importance of adaptability and innovation. In today’s digital landscape, standing still is not an option. I learned that the best strategies are those that are flexible and can pivot quickly in response to new trends or unexpected challenges,” she said.

Setiadi added, “Additionally, I’ve seen firsthand the power of integrated thinking—where digital isn’t just a channel but a core component of an overall strategy that includes PR, branding, and customer experience. I’m bringing with me a deep appreciation for collaboration across disciplines and a strong belief in the power of creativity to solve even the most complex business challenges.”

How Edelman will ride the future of digital experiences 

One of the challenges that Setiadi notes on the status quo of digital experiences in Southeast Asia is how there are varying levels of digital maturity across markets, meaning strategies must be tailored rather than one-size-fits-all. This is despite Southeast Asia being a region of incredible diversity which poses a great opportunity for growth of digital experiences.

“However, this diversity also offers a unique opportunity to experiment and innovate, as consumer behaviours and digital adoption rates differ widely. The rapid growth of e-commerce and mobile-first behaviours is another key area where brands can create more personalised and impactful digital experiences. Additionally, as data privacy becomes a growing concern globally, there’s an opportunity for brands in Southeast Asia to lead by building trust through transparent and ethical data practices,” she said.

Speaking of trends this year, she says that there will be a stronger focus on hyper-personalisation, where brands use data to create tailored experiences that resonate on an individual level. Moreover, there will also be continued growth in adopting AI and machine learning, particularly in automating and optimising digital campaigns. Lastly, there will also be a rise of immersive technologies, such as AR and VR, which will transform how brands engage with consumers.

“Edelman will expand and improve by investing in these areas, ensuring that our teams are proficient in the latest technologies and understand how to apply them creatively. We’ll also continue to emphasise the importance of trust in the digital space, helping our clients navigate challenges like data privacy and misinformation. By staying ahead of these trends and focusing on delivering impactful, trustworthy digital experiences, we’ll ensure that Edelman remains a leader in the industry,” she concluded.

Singapore – In a slew of leadership appointments to expand their presence in APAC, advertising agency OMD has added a head of digital to its Asia Pacific regional leadership team with the hiring of Dileep Raj Singh.

As head of digital, Singh will be accelerating OMD’s digital leadership agenda, rooted in helping clients address their business challenges and digital ambitions. He will be supporting OMD’s local teams in APAC on operational excellence,as well as its digital transformation frameworks and roadmaps.

Singh is a digital native and brings with him a wealth of experience across product, media agency and client side in APAC, North America and the United Kingdom. His last 10 years have been spent building diverse digital marketing teams covering areas like performance marketing, digital media planning, ad/martech, product marketing, branding and measurement.

Speaking on his own appointment, Singh said, “ As we embark on this journey, I want to leverage the strength of the OMD network – people, technology, data, tools and platforms – to help our clients pivot and navigate through all the new and evolved possibilities in digital media. With this, I aim to position OMD as an unrivaled partner for our current and future clients; to dominate and succeed in this incredibly competitive and multifarious digital realm.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte Lee, CEO of OMD APAC, commented, “It is our global ambition to continue our leadership position in digital, data and technology. In line with this ambition, we are excited to have Singh come on board the OMD APAC leadership team. His background of agency, in-house and start-up experience position him perfectly to understand and address our clients’ business needs.”

Singh will be reporting to Lee, and will be working with chief strategy officer, David McCallen, who were both appointed in 2022, and chief client officer, Sadhan Mishra who was appointed in June 2023, to drive and support APAC local markets as well as regional clients on digital, data and technology needs.

Sydney, Australia – Woolworths@Dentsu, dentsu’s dedicated agency for Australian supermarket giant Woolworths, has announced today the appointment of Matt Benning, formerly of AKQA Media, as its new head of digital & performance.

Most recently at AKQA Media, Benning was the Sydney team’s head of digital. He spent close to 15 years at WPP with notable roles over this period as media lead on Vodafone for Wavemaker. He previously worked with MEC in the UK as global digital director on Vodafone and Visa Europe. In this position, he led the digital strategy for Visa across Europe, activating their Olympics and Football World Cup sponsorships.

Barbara Messitt, the agency’s managing director, commented, “I am so pleased that Matt is joining our team. With his wealth of experience and passion for all things digital, I am certain he will further drive our digital transformation journey with the brands. The team here are all very excited to start working with him.”

Gayle While, chief digital officer of dentsu Media, added, “We’re delighted to be welcoming Matt into the Woolworths team. He’s a passionate and highly respected digital leader whose expertise will be invaluable in supporting our clients to respond to today’s fast changing market with effective strategies and innovative solutions.”

Benning will be based in Sydney and the agency said his new role will include working with some of Australia’s leading brands in retail amid the growth in today’s digital, data, and technology solutions.

“I am thrilled to be joining the talented Woolworths team and to work alongside some of Australia’s most trusted brands. I am excited to continue the development of our digital capabilities as we navigate the evolving digital landscape,” commented Benning.

Benning will officially join the agency on 29 November.

Singapore – Global communications firm Edelman has announced a new lineup of digital hires as part of strengthening its digital offering in the Asia-Pacific region.This includes expanding the firm’s existing offerings in content creation and production, as well as adding talent in the areas of social commerce, paid and performance marketing, martech, AI, VR and 3D capabilities, among others. 

In South Asia, Saurabh Kulkarni has been appointed as the head of Edelman Studios in India, where he is tasked with building a regional hub for content creation. He will partner with India’s managing director for digital, Kunal Arora, on leveraging AI to create data-centric content production capabilities that will serve the region.

At Edelman China, in addition to Justin Teo joining the firm in August as the new chief digital officer, Yuliani Setiadi has come onboard as head of digital for Hong Kong and Taiwan. With Setiadi’s extensive experience in building shoppable e-commerce experiences across different touchpoints, she will aid in establishing Hong Kong as a B2C regional hub.

In Korea, the firm welcomed Rebekah Lee as its new head of digital earlier this year, bringing rich experience in data-driven performance marketing and web analytics that complements Edelman’s digital newsroom capability in the Korean market.

Jonathan Wong and Henry Taylor also joined the teams in Malaysia and Australia respectively this October to serve as head of digital in those markets. Wong brings extensive technical and automation experience, as well as a proven track record for e-commerce and digital transformation, while Taylor is skilled in content, SEO, newsroom and platform growth strategies, given his background as a data journalist.

To manage the growing team’s operations across the region, Debra Ng returned to Edelman this year to take on the role of regional digital operations manager. She is tasked with delivering digital upskilling and competency development programs for clients.

“Over the course of the pandemic, we’ve seen our clients take significant steps to accelerate their digital capabilities, knowledge and skills. With these hires, we are doubling down on specialisms across the region to match the evolving needs of our clients, helping them create more compelling content, facilitate digital transformation, and leverage the growth of e-commerce and digital storytelling,” comments Stephen Kehoe, Edelman’s CEO for APAC.

He added, “Each of these hires brings a deep specialism to the firm, allowing our clients to benefit from the industry’s most advanced and comprehensive practices, irrespective of which market they are in. By removing the silos of markets and specialisms, we are building a more client- and solution-centric operating model, setting ourselves and our clients up for success in a post-pandemic world.”