Tag: Leadership

Havas Media Group India makes key elevations to strengthen senior leadership roster

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 19, 2023

Havas Media Group India makes key elevations to strengthen senior leadership roster

Gurugram, India – Havas Media Group India, the media expertise division of Havas India, has announced a significant elevation of its senior leadership team across functions to further strengthen its structure.

The strategic restructuring is part of the agency’s expansion of its business and service portfolios through collaborations and increased efficiency, in line with its unprecedented growth.

According to Havas, the elevation of the senior leadership team is a testament to the agency’s commitment to delivering unparalleled media solutions to its clients. The newly elevated senior leadership team will bring their extensive industry experience and expertise to drive the agency’s growth, foster innovation, and enhance its service offerings.

Two of the key elevations are Roopali Sharma and Harbir Singh, now as president – North 1 and North 2, respectively, at Havas Media India. The two will further strengthen client partnerships, profitability, and business relations.

Saurabh Jain has also been elevated as president – South, Havas Media India and will be responsible for scaling up the momentum and growth of the agency’s success story in South — a key focus market for Havas Media India.

Meanwhile, Manish Sharma, in his elevated role as managing partner – West, Havas Media India will continue making significant contributions to Havas’ successful journey in the West region. New business acquisitions, growth of the existing roster and service strategy will be integral to his role.

As the Chief Strategy Officer for Havas Media India, Sanchita Roy will likewise drive strategic innovation and growth to the next level for clients and the agency alike. She will be bringing with her a deep industry experience and vision which made her a fitting candidate to represent the agency at global platforms like Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Campaign Agency of Year – South Asia in 2022.

Lastly, Rohan Chincholi has been appointed as managing partner – digital services, Havas Media India, where he will strategise on expanding and enhancing the agency offerings and outcomes to ensure being at par with the digital industry’s evolution in current times.

The team will report to Uday Mohan, managing director, Havas Media India. Commenting on the elevations, he said, “I feel great pride in seeing the team on a rapid growth path. The elevations are aimed at recognizing the team’s commitment and further strengthening our core ensuring heightened focus on sustainable growth and unlocking greater possibilities. Best wishes to all for the new journey with additional responsibilities.”

Havas Media Group India CEO, Mohit Joshi also said, “We are delighted to elevate our core leadership team to new roles. Their exceptional dedication and business acumen have been critical to our success.”

He added, “In 2023, we have set very high growth targets for ourselves, and I am confident that the team will tap into attaining exceptional results aiding us create a meaningful difference in the country’s media eco-system. Congratulations to all.”

This follows Havas Media Group’s recent media mandate wins, including PUMA India and Paradise Biryani.

Tags Appointments, India, Media agency, Leadership, Havas Media Group

Marketing Featured Global

ADK Global elevates Neville Medhora to chief transformation officer

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 16, 2023

ADK Global elevates Neville Medhora to chief transformation officer

Singapore – To bolster network transformation in APAC, ADK Global has announced the promotion of Neville Medhora to the inaugural role of chief transformation officer.

In the new role, he will accelerate ADK Global’s digital transformation by integrating ADK’s business offerings and solutions across regions and clients to achieve specific agency goals in India, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Medhora will report to Rie Otsuka, chief growth officer at ADK Global, and work closely with Pradeep Shankar, president of ADK Rage, to champion ADK’s IMC solutions in India.

Medhora joins ADK with over 25 years of experience leading cross-functional teams in design, branding, UI//UX, web technology, search marketing, and social media. At ADK Rage, he innovated several notable optimizations regarding agency planning, agile workflows, and new business lead funnels.

Notably, he also pioneered an audience relationship methodology that greatly improved the agency’s ideation process and delivered outcomes for clients such as Tata Motors, Croma, and Jones Lang LaSalle. He also spearheaded key digital initiatives for clients within the boundaries of the traditional offline format.

On his appointment, Medhora said, “The ADK Global network has both highly talented teams and multifaceted services. My aim is to integrate both into a single-window delivery for our clients.”

He added, “We want to be an agency which can deliver across two fronts. The first is creativity backed by consumer insights and strategic vision. The second is seamless execution of those ideas across mainstream and digital platforms.”

Yasuyuki Katagi, CEO, ADK Global, also remarked, “ADK Global’s ambitions to reimagine the business will be significantly boosted with Neville Medhora’s appointment as our first Chief Transformation Officer. As the prior Head of India and EMEA at ADK Rage, he is ideally placed to leverage and apply ADK Rage’s digital solutions and methodologies across the rest of the network.”

Katagi added, “Within ADK Global, we are always on the lookout for employees who want to be challenged, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the right opportunities. We see Medhora as one such talent and wish him the best in his new role.”

This follows ADK’s appointment of Rie Otsuka as its chief executive officer for Singapore and emerging countries and chief growth officer for ADK Global.

Tags Appointments, Leadership, ADK, ADK Global, Neville Medhora

Marketing Featured Southeast Asia

M&C Saatchi names Anish Daryani as chief growth officer for SEA

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 16, 2023

M&C Saatchi names Anish Daryani as chief growth officer for SEA

Singapore – Creative agency M&C Saatchi has announced the appointment of Anish Daryani as its chief growth officer for Southeast Asia. He will be reporting to Richard Morewood, M&C Saatchi Asia CEO, effective immediately.

In the new role, Daryani will drive growth through regional new business, the development of new capabilities for the region, and the expansion into new markets, whilst continuing to lead M&C Saatchi Indonesia as president director.

On his appointment, Daryani said, “I’m really excited to unlock growth opportunities for our businesses and clients across the region. This is the most exciting time in our industry where innovation, growth, reputation and efficiency are all inter-linked.”

He added, “M&C Saatchi Group is poised to build cross-country and cross-disciplinary teams for its clients, making it possible for us to achieve audacious results for our clients. With the support of amazing leadership and talent across the region, we’re ushering in an era of hypergrowth in South East Asia.”

Meanwhile, Morewood commented, “South East Asia is a key focus for M&C Saatchi both regionally and globally, as demonstrated by the launch of our SEA hub in 2021, and the creation of this new role reflects that.”

He concluded, “Anish has built a fantastic business in Indonesia over the last 5 years with a focus on creativity and innovation for clients. I’m excited to see him bring these skills, as well as his entrepreneurial approach, to deliver growth across South East Asia.”

Previously, M&C Saatchi has also appointed its Australia Group CEO Justin Graham as its global head of advertising network.

Tags Appointments, Southeast Asia, Leadership, M&C Saatchi, Anish Daryani

SME Featured Southeast Asia

Ex-Traveloka Anshul Johri joins Validus as Group CTO

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 12, 2023

Ex-Traveloka Anshul Johri joins Validus as Group CTO

Singapore – Validus, one of Southeast Asia’s leading all-in-one SME business account and financing platforms, has announced the appointment of Anshul Johri as its group chief technology officer (CTO), effective 5 April 2023.

Johri brings over 17 years of technology expertise in driving growth and scale for startups and large companies across various industries and is responsible for leading the technology strategy across the region to propel Validus into its next phase of growth.

Prior to joining Validus, Johri spent six years as head of engineering at Indonesian unicorn Traveloka, where he scaled its financial services products such as payment platform, digital wallet, buy now pay later (BNPL), insurance and wealth management. Anshul’s experience spans e-commerce, travel, and fintech industries across India and SEA countries.

“Anshul’s successful and varied experience at organisations ranging from bootstrapped startups to unicorns and Fortune 50 companies makes him an invaluable addition to our executive team as we continue to drive our ambitious technology plans forward,” said Validus’ Co-founder and Executive Chairman Vikas Nahata.

He added, “We are delighted to have him on board to infuse a new energy as we execute on our key technology initiatives to build, scale, and deliver best-in-class digital financial services for small businesses across the region.”

Previously, Validus and global financial services company Citi have established a US$100m securitisation facility to drive SME financing in Southeast Asia.

Tags Leadership, Validus, Anshul Johri, SME, Appointments

Technology Featured Global

Cartelux appoints ex-Google Mathew Pretel as head of product

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 10, 2023

Cartelux appoints ex-Google Mathew Pretel as head of product

Sunshine Coast, Australia – Adtech company Cartelux has named Google’s previous advertising solutions architect, Mathew Pretel, as its new head of product. Pretel joins Cartelux to support the company’s next growth phase.

After expanding into the Americas at the beginning of the year and into Africa in the coming month, the adtech company now has a global reach and is adding new features to its advertising software that will ultimately allow it to expand into further categories besides its current focus on the automotive industry.

Prior to joining Cartelux, he was Google’s senior advertising solutions architect and the technical lead for a Google News Initiative-sponsored program that helped accelerate the digital maturity of publishers across APAC.

He also worked as a product manager at the ‘next billion users program’, a Google initiative in emerging countries. Before that, Mathew was head of professional services for digital publishers in Australia and New Zealand.

Commenting on his appointment, Pretel said, “I am delighted to join Cartelux’s global team as Head of Product. Cartelux is by far the most innovative, value-adding, and cost-effective marketing solution I have ever seen. I am excited for our journey and the expansion that is ahead of us.”

Joshua Williams, founder and CEO of Cartelux, remarked, “We are excited to welcome Mathew to our team. His extensive expertise and passion will facilitate our continued innovation and enable us to further enhance our product offerings. By leveraging his support, we are committed to revolutionising the way brands and their retail networks approach advertising through our streamlined digital advertising solutions for local showrooms.”

Tags Appointments, adtech, Leadership, Cartelux, Mathew Pretel

Marketing Featured ANZ

Enigma names Matt Dawe as creative director to bolster creative offering

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 10, 2023

Enigma names Matt Dawe as creative director to bolster creative offering

Sydney, Australia – Full-service independent agency Enigma has announced the promotion of Matt Dawe to creative director. In the new role, he will be reporting directly to the agency’s Executive Creative Director Tim Brown.

Dawe joined Enigma in 2012 as a copywriter and has been an integral part of driving Enigma’s creative output across all disciplines, producing notable campaigns for Newcastle Permanent, UniSC, Kennards, SunRice, UON, SYD Airport, NEXT Group, and Newcastle Knight.

He’s also had his work recognised at the AWARD Awards, Sirens and the Effies, as well as being recognised as a Top 20 Creative by the industry. Prior to joining Enigma, Dawe earned his creative stripes at Droga5 and Peach.

Commenting on his appointment, Dawe said, “When I told my mum, she thought I’d been demoted. And it’s fair enough. My old title sounded way more impressive. I’ve loved being part of Enigma as we’ve grown into a truly national business. Being based in Newcastle, the greatest city in the world, I’ve always believed that great work can happen anywhere.”

He added, “Getting the chance to step into the CD role here is massively exciting. We’ve got some huge things in the works and I can’t wait to rip in.”

Brown also commented, “Matt is truly a unique person in our industry, not only does he have a brilliant creative mind he is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet and truly cares for people and his client’s business problems.”

Brown added, “He doesn’t rest until he finds the smartest, actionable solution to any problem and we are thankful he is on our team. This is a well-deserved promotion for a damn fine creative and I’m looking forward to him playing a big role taking the agency’s creative offering to the next level.”

After spending the last two years as Associate Creative Director, Dawe says he is excited to take the training wheels off and play a lead role in taking the agency to new creative heights.

Recently, Enigma has also appointed Dean van der Merwe as design director and Bianca Holtsbaum as the new senior business manager for its specialist property marketing division, Property & Place (P&P).

Tags Appointments, Creative agency, Leadership, Enigma, Matt Dawe

Marketing Featured Southeast Asia

MBCS Malaysia announces new key leadership through ‘Creative Leadership Council’

Post author By Teddy Cambosa
Post date May 8, 2023

MBCS Malaysia announces new key leadership through ‘Creative Leadership Council’

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – IPG Mediabrands’ Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS) has announced new key leadership changes in Malaysia through its ‘Creative Leadership Council’.

Andrew Shee has been appointed as executive creative director of MBCS. The 19-year creative veteran joins the agency from his eight-year stint in China, where he was awarded a multitude of accolades. He was most recently a senior creative director of Dentsu Next in Shanghai.

Internally, MBCS has also promoted Ahmad Nazril Ibrahim to executive creative director. Ibrahim has played an integral role in shaping the creative content of key client PETRONAS and will continue to build on the cultural nuances influencing homegrown businesses in Malaysia.

Working alongside Shee and Ibrahim are award-winning consultant executive creative director Mun Tuck Wai, and executive creative director Kevin Le. Tuck Wai and Le have been with the agency for seven years and will continue to lend their expertise and creative guidance on a group level across all capabilities including branded, original, social, and performance content.

Stanley Clement, chief executive officer of MBCS Malaysia said, “In this world of disruption and contradictions, our readiness to innovate, adapt and change is what will keep us poised for the creatives of tomorrow. How we engage, how we communicate, and how we move people with the content we create – that’s the true test of communications of today, as we strive to drive innovative storytelling for our clients.”

He added, “We are carefully curating our Creative Leadership Council and bringing together the best minds of the industry with a mix of modern, traditional, data, storytelling, and long and short form content. They have a host of awards recognising their talents and creative work under their belts, and I’m excited to see how they work together to harness the best of our people’s potential. The Council and our teams will continue to fuse our unique proposition of intelligence and an insights-led, data-driven content practice to connect brands with people in the most compelling and personalised way.”

Tags Malaysia, Leadership, Mediabrands Content Studio, Creative Leadership Council

Marketing Featured ANZ

Insurance company IAG names ex-Meta Michelle Klein as its new chief customer, marketing officer

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 4, 2023

Insurance company IAG names ex-Meta Michelle Klein as its new chief customer, marketing officer

Australia – Multinational insurance company Insurance Australia Group has announced the appointment of Michelle Klein as its new chief customer and marketing officer, where she will be leading the newly formed customer experience and marketing division.

Klein will be returning to Australia from the United States, after spending almost a decade at Meta where she was most recently vice president, global business and product marketing.

With a career spanning 25 years and five continents, Klein has worked with iconic brands including Diageo, British Airways, Orient Express and Armani. She has also led cross-functional teams to transform brand perception and drive business results to achieve double-digit growth.

At IAG, Klein will be responsible for its marketing and brand portfolio strategy for all brands across IAG’s Direct and Intermediated Insurance divisions, including NRMA Insurance, ROLLiN’, CGU and WFI brands. In the role, she will utilise deep customer and community insights, while leveraging brand strengths, to improve the overall customer experience to better connect with and reach more Australians.

Commenting on her new role, Klein said, “After spending almost a decade of my career focused on building community and bringing people closer together with Meta, I’m looking forward to this next chapter in helping make the world a safer place with IAG.”

“Through its iconic and trusted brands, IAG helps millions of people across Australia protect what matters most, providing invaluable safety and peace of mind. This decade must be transformational – one where we focus on a safer future and IAG’s people have worked tirelessly to provide support to people during crises,” she added.

IAG’s Direct Insurance Australia Group Executive Julie Batch also remarked, “Michelle is renowned internationally for her innovative solutions to redefining the role of brands to deliver business results.”

Batch added, “It is a testament to the strength of IAG and our portfolio of brands to attract someone of Michelle’s calibre to our team. She brings to the role extensive experience in B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, and product development, which will be invaluable in supporting the delivery of our strategy.”

Tags Appointments, Leadership, Insurance Australia Group, Michelle Klein, Marketing

Technology Featured ANZ

Gus Quiroga joins Sitecore as area vice president for Australia

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 4, 2023

Gus Quiroga joins Sitecore as area vice president for Australia

Sydney, Australia – Digital experience management platform Sitecore has appointed Gus Quiroga as its new area vice president for Australia, tapping the experienced technology leader to help companies to accelerate their growth via content, data, and online commerce.

The appointment of Quiroga will add significant experience in the technology-based customer experience market, and enable businesses to exceed the constantly changing experience expectations of customers and citizens across all digital channels.

In the new role, Quiroga will be responsible for driving the overall sales and strategy and growth for Sitecore in Australia, working closely with key technology alliance partners, and ensuring that the company’s suite of software delivers for businesses.

Prior to joining Sitecore, Quiroga was general manager APAC and financial services VP for the Mobiquity division of software services firm Hexaware Technologies. He was also formerly director of Microsoft’s Azure Data and AI business unit.

Quiroga has also worked for IBM as head of cognitive applications in its financial services and retail business, where he led the sales and customer services team for blockchain, AI, data analytics, campaign automation, supply chain automation and cognitive analytics software.

“Sitecore has a tremendous history in content, and they have taken it to another level in recent years by making acquisitions that make them a powerful force across customer experience and digital commerce,” said Quiroga.

He added, “My career has been about working with customers to improve their brand experience, and I am looking forward to making an impact for enterprises in Australia.”

Joey Lim, Sitecore’s president for Asia-Pacific and Japan, also said, “Gus has tremendous implementation skills and understands the challenges that all brands have in needing to move at speed and scale to achieve their business growth objectives.”

Lim likewise remarked that the Sitecore team believes in Quiroga’s ability to tackle complex business and technology challenges and translate them into significant customer experience outcomes that would benefit brands in Australia.

Quiroga’s appointment follows Sitecore’s launch of its XM Cloud Components, which was aimed at empowering brands to deliver seamless and personalised customer experiences.

Tags Appointments, Australia, Leadership, Sitecore, Gus Quiroga

Marketing Featured Southeast Asia

McCann Worldgroup names ex-Meta Valerie Madon as chief creative officer for SEA

Post author By Maureen Basa
Post date May 2, 2023

McCann Worldgroup names ex-Meta Valerie Madon as chief creative officer for SEA

Singapore – Global marketing services company McCann Worldgroup has appointed Valerie Madon as its new chief creative officer for the Southeast Asian region. She will be reporting to Nick Handel, president of McCann Worldgroup SEA.

Madon brings with her over 20 years of experience across brand-building and integrated creative solutions for major brands such as Zespri, Caltex, Hewlett-Packard, Procter & Gamble, Singapore Airlines, and HSBC, amongst others. In the new role, she will be tasked to head the creative teams across Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong, as well as assuming the additional responsibility of Chair of McCann Worldgroup’s APAC Creative Leadership Community (CLC).

Prior to joining McCann, Madon was the director of creative shop for SEA and emerging markets at tech giant Meta. She also held senior creative roles at agencies VMLY&R and Havas Group.

She has also made her mark judging at awarding bodies such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, London International, Effies, Golden Drum, Spikes Asia, Adfest, and more.

Commenting on her appointment, Madon said, “This opportunity represents the perfect storm of my creative ambitions – to reunite with Nick Handel again, as a leader who believes in the value of a creative partner, and to join the network that created ‘Fearless Girl’, one of the most inspiring pieces of work that went beyond advertising to become a meaningful part of people’s lives. I’ve always felt blessed in my career but this invitation to work and learn from so many of the creative greats within McCann Worldgroup is extra special.”

Prasoon Joshi, chairman of McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific also commented, “The addition of Valerie to our organisation marks a significant development. Her extensive experience and innovative creative approach will add a fresh dimension. She is a keen observer of the evolving media landscape and latest technologies, which will further drive our creative excellence and strengthen our creative leadership in the region.”

Meanwhile, Nick Handel, president, McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia, remarked, “I am thrilled that Valerie has joined our McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia family. With her vision and expertise, she will make a significant contribution to our ambition of being the irrefutable leader in the business of creativity. And what’s more, I believe that she will be an excellent team leader and mentor to our people.”

Madon joins in mid-May and will be based in the network’s regional headquarters in Singapore.

Tags Appointments, Creative, Southeast Asia, Leadership, Valerie Madon, McCann Worldgroup

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