Tag: Leadership

Manila, Philippines – Local coffeeshop chain PICKUP COFFEE has tapped seasoned industry leader Francis Flores as its president and country CEO amidst the company’s continued growth in the country and tapping into a growing coffee market locally.

In an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC, he stated that his role will focus on driving PICKUP Coffee’s brand equity by emphasising value-for-money offerings without compromising quality.

He also added that the goal is to build a brand that resonates deeply with Filipinos by offering exceptional coffee at an accessible price point.

“We aim to expand our footprint strategically across the country, leveraging data-driven insights to optimise our store locations and operational efficiencies. Embracing tech innovations, like our app for convenient ordering and loyalty rewards, will also be key in enhancing the overall customer experience” he stated.

Blending sales and marketing leadership to boost growth

Flores is no stranger to said roles, as he has around 27 years of sales and marketing leadership experience spanning FMCG, QSR, and telco industries. He was most recently the senior vice president and business unit head for mobile and consumer wireless business at SMART Communications, where he was responsible for achieving revenue, market share, brand equity, CX, and profit targets for the company.

Before SMART Communications, Flores spent 14 years with Jollibee Food Corporation (JFC) where he held multiple marketing leadership roles for some of the company’s restaurant brands including Chowking and Greenwich and other regional roles. He then spent six years as the global brand and chief marketing officer for JFC, as well as as JFC Philippines’ country marketing head.

He had also a decade of experience at Unilever where he first started his career journey. At the company, he served in manager-level roles for the Philippines until he was named the regional brand director for Unilever’s deodorant brand for males–Axe–in Asia.

“My extensive experience in sales and marketing at Unilever has given me a deep understanding of consumer behaviour and brand management, which I’m leveraging to strengthen PICKUP Coffee’s market positioning. Additionally, my leadership roles as President of Dunkin in China and Highlands Coffee in Vietnam have provided me with invaluable insights into scaling businesses in diverse and competitive markets,” he explained.

He added, “My experience leading consumer-centric campaigns at Jollibee and SMART has also given me a deep understanding of how to connect with the Filipino market on an emotional level. These experiences enable me to approach PICKUP Coffee’s growth with a strong strategic foundation, ensuring that we can expand rapidly while maintaining brand experience and operational excellence.”

Flores also remarked how the key learning that he brings to the company is an obsession with delivering an exceptional customer experience. For him, he witnessed during his time at Jollibee how putting the customer at the heart of every decision drives loyalty and growth. Meanwhile, during his time at SMART, he learned the importance of leveraging technology to create seamless and enjoyable customer interactions. 

“These experiences taught me that a relentless focus on customer satisfaction is crucial. At PICKUP Coffee, I’m implementing these principles by ensuring we’re not just offering coffee, but creating moments that delight our customers every day,” he said.

Navigating F&B industry challenges as a marketing leader

For Flores, one major challenge in the industry is the evolving consumer behaviour post-pandemic, where there’s a heightened focus on value and convenience. Moreover, he opportunity lies in tapping into the digital transformation that has accelerated in the F&B industry. 

“Brands that can effectively use digital platforms to enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and offer personalised experiences will stand out. For PICKUP Coffee, this means enhancing our digital presence and creating more touchpoints for customer interaction,” he said.

When asked about trends in the F&B scene this year and beyond, he stated that in 2024, they will see consumers becoming more conscious and discerning about their purchasing decisions, with a greater emphasis on the value they receive. 

“There will be a growing demand for transparency, quality, and personalised experiences. At PICKUP Coffee, we’re focused on meeting these expectations by offering high-quality coffee at an accessible price point, ensuring consistency across all our outlets, and leveraging digital platforms to provide personalised, convenient experiences. By doing so, we aim to build strong, lasting relationships with our customers,” he concluded.

Malaysia – To advance its vision of delivering comprehensive marketing solutions, Naga DDB Tribal has strengthened its creative leadership team with key appointments: Vix Chandra as executive creative director, Loo Swee Mei as senior creative director, Alicia Hew as creative director, and Ong Poh Jet as associate creative director.

Leading the series of new hires is Chandra, who steps into the role of executive creative director. With 18 years of diverse experience, Chandra brings a unique global perspective on creativity, content marketing, brand strategy, and pop culture.

Chandra has held key roles at Red Bull Media House, Austria’s LOOP, and On in Switzerland, where he excelled in integrated marketing, strategic collaborations, and content generation. Notable achievements include elevating Porsche’s brand persona, launching On’s entry into pop culture, and leading major social media moments for Red Bull. 

His creative leadership and talent for blending entertainment and culture into marketing strategies will be crucial in advancing the agency’s creative offerings and enhancing its digital experience and content studio services. He will drive the agency’s creative direction alongside chief creative officer Alvin Teoh and executive creative director Nik Radzi, further diversifying and strengthening the leadership team.

Following Chandra’s appointment, Loo also joins Naga DDB Tribal as its new senior creative director. With nearly two decades of experience in both agency and client roles, Loo has worked with leading agencies, including FCB Malaysia, Ogilvy, Dentsu, and Spin. Her career also includes leadership roles at Dentsu Shanghai and the Shanghai Disney Resort.

Her personalised approach has driven successful campaigns for brands such as Canon, Toyota, Malaysia International Airports, KFC, Playstation 5, and Nespresso. 

In her new role, Loo’s expertise in creative ideation, art and design, creative tech, and new media will play a pivotal role in strengthening the agency’s creative leadership and driving its mission to deliver world-class creative solutions.

The agency has also brought on board Hew as its new creative director. She will leverage her expertise in strategic communication and creative direction to help the agency create impactful and resonant campaigns.

Recognised as one of Malaysia’s “Most Awarded Creatives in 2021,” Hew brings a robust background from Ogilvy, McCann, BBDO, and Dentsu Creative. She has also led successful initiatives for prominent brands, including Guinness, Maybelline, Nike, Snickers, Wrigley’s, and Mamee Monster.

Rounding out the new creative leadership team, Ong will also join the agency as associate creative director. His talent for leading and inspiring design teams will enhance the agency’s visual and design output, helping to deliver captivating and inspiring experiences for audiences.

Ong brings over a decade of design and art direction experience from renowned agencies including M&C Saatchi, Ogilvy, and Bonsey Jaden. His work has significantly contributed to brands like Pizza Hut, Coca-Cola, Astro, and KFC.

The addition of these creative leaders marks a pivotal moment in the agency’s journey, as their diverse expertise and global perspectives are set to elevate Naga DDB Tribal’s ability to deliver impactful campaigns for its clients.

Speaking on these new appointments, Kristian Lee, group executive director at Naga DDB Tribal, said, “At Naga DDB Tribal, we have strong ambitions for growth and a vision of what we can evolve into in the very near future. As such, we are currently actively on the lookout for talent that can not only contribute towards that vision but also display ownership by stamping their own imprint on our direction as a company.” 

“As an agency that constantly has an eye on the future while striving to improve for the present, we are conscious of the immediate benefits of bringing on board fresh perspectives, capabilities, and leadership to inspire powerful, effective, and strategic creative output. Having said that, it is also essential for our young and emerging talent to have access to a multitude of leaders with diverse skill sets to aid in the growth of their burgeoning careers. Naga DDB Tribal has had a storied and proud tradition of serving as a springboard that grows careers within the Malaysian marketing industry by promoting a culture of learning for our talent, and we have every intention of continuing and promoting this culture from within,” he added. 

Naga DDB Tribal is enhancing its creative leadership team to drive its growth and mission as an agency. The agency is committed to delivering innovative, technology-driven creative experiences, leveraging advancements in AI, VR, and emerging media platforms.

“With our on-going investment in talent, creative stewardship, and inspiration brought about beginning with the additions of Vix, Swee Mei, Alicia, and Poh Jet to the agency, we are confident and excited about the impact they will have in charting the future of our agency as well as in achieving our commitment of delivering even higher standards of excellence across various creative disciplines to the benefit of our current and potential clientele,” Lee concluded. 

Singapore – Global gaming and entertainment company Ampverse Group has announced the appointment of a new board of advisors comprising distinguished global executives from the gaming, advertising, investment, technology, and media sectors. This strategic move accelerates Ampverse Group’s expansion and solidifies its position as a dominant force in the industry.

The new members of the advisory board include John Redgrave, Marcus John, Rohit Sharma, Oliver Woodley, Chirag Shah, and Gita Ramakrishnan. Together, they will propel Ampverse Group into its next phase of growth under the leadership of Ampverse CEO Charlie Baillie.

As the former vice president at Discord, Redgrave played a pivotal role in the company’s growth and success. He previously founded Lattice, which was later acquired by Apple and Sentropy which was sold to Discord. With a deep understanding of digital platforms and a keen eye for innovation, Redgrave brings invaluable expertise to Ampverse Group’s advisory board.

Meanwhile, for over 3 decades, John has advised Fortune 500 companies, federations, governments, and investors on major sports and entertainment investments, including the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and Formula 1. He is currently the CEO of Sports Capital Advisors and was formerly global head of sports of WPP’s MediaCom and managing director of IMG/Endeavor China.

As the former COO and board member of AnyMind Group, Sharma also founded POKKT, a mobile video advertising platform in India, SEA and MENA that has been backed by Investors such as JAFCO Asia, Jungle Ventures, Singtel Innov8 and GSF.

Meanwhile, Woodley is the global commercial director of Soho House Group and long-time investor into Ampverse, and also formerly held senior roles at VICE Media. 

For Shah, he is a seasoned entrepreneur, having co-founded several ad tech companies, including one acquired by Dentsu. He brings a wealth of experience in Gaming 360, scaling businesses, giving investment advice, and navigating complex markets. 

Lastly, Samakrishnan is a seasoned investor with over 20 years of experience in capital markets, excelling in both private and public equities with a top decile performance record. 

The combined expertise and global reach of this new board will be a driving force in Ampverse Group’s ambitious growth plans. These advisors bring unparalleled experience in digital innovation, strategic investments, and market expansion. Their insights and leadership will guide Ampverse Group in exploring new frontiers, enhancing its market presence, and fueling sustainable growth.

Charlie Baillie, CEO of Ampverse Group, said, “To build a remarkable company, you need a remarkable team. Since founding Ampverse Group in 2019, we’ve been fortunate to attract a world-class group of team members and investors. Looking ahead, we have huge global ambitions, and therefore I’m excited and honoured that such a distinguished group of leaders from the gaming, media, investment, technology, and advertising sectors share our vision and have agreed to join our newly formed advisory board.” 

Singapore – Omnicom Media Group Singapore (OMG Singapore) has promoted Jourdan Tan to general manager of digital capabilities and transformation, tasking him with spearheading the company’s digital evolution and enhancing its SEO, programmatic, performance hub, and planning and supply capabilities.

Tan was most recently OMG Singapore’s head of digital transformation and capabilities, and prior to that, he was head of performance. Under his leadership, his team doubled in size while maintaining strong retention and succession rates, showcasing his ability to attract, develop, and advance top talent in the digital landscape.

He also established a task force to foster the growth of OMG Singapore’s digital community and leads quarterly digital sessions to keep teams updated with the latest industry insights.

In his new role, Tan will leverage his vast experience to oversee OMG Singapore’s digital capabilities, driving best practices, talent expansion, and knowledge development.

Tan is part of the OMG Singapore executive committee, comprising CEO Chloe Neo, CFO Reynold Seah, head of investments and commercial Anita Yeong, OMD Singapore CEO Sadhan Mishra, and PHD Singapore MD Sumiati Hashim, and will continue working with them to steer the Singapore operations.

Commenting on the promotion, Neo said, “Jourdan’s ability to harness the power of digital capabilities across a diversified group of thriving talent, innovative products, and solutions reflects his comprehensive understanding of the digital ecosystem as well as his future forward leadership. His leadership and generative mindset have been instrumental in the organisation’s digital transformation.” 

Neo added, “OMG Singapore is riding on the wave of success, having risen a notch to #2 in both COMvergence and RECMA 2023 Billings Rankings, with a significant share in non-traditional billings. This is a testament to OMG’s suite of advanced capabilities and future-facing solutions, which we have continually invested in and established over the years. I congratulate Jourdan on this well-deserved promotion and look forward to working with him and the Singapore executive committee to take OMG to greater heights.”

Also speaking on his promotion, Tan shared, “I am honoured to take on the role of General Manager of Digital Transformation and Capabilities. As we navigate this ever-evolving digital landscape, our growth mindset will be our compass, guiding us to adapt and innovate for the future. Our focus is on delivering robust capabilities with cutting-edge technology and data, ensuring operational excellence at every step. But at the heart of this transformation journey is our commitment to nurturing our people and talents, as they are the true drivers of our success.”

India – Brand consulting firm Landor has announced the promotion of Lulu Raghavan as its new president for Asia Pacific. 

In her new role, Raghavan will lead a diverse and talented team of creative professionals across APAC, fostering a high-performance culture and extraordinary creativity to drive business growth.

With 23 years of experience at Landor, Lulu Raghavan brings a wealth of expertise and a deep understanding of the branding industry. Throughout her tenure, she has held various roles across several key markets, including San Francisco, New York, London, and Mumbai.

Raghavan will remain based in Mumbai and report to Christian Schroeder, global president of Landor.

Schroeder said, “We are very excited to see Lulu step into the APAC President role. Her extensive experience, dedication, and innovative approach make her the perfect fit to lead the region. I am personally delighted for Lulu, and confident that she will continue to drive growth and excellence across our APAC offices.”

Also speaking on her promotion, Raghavan shared, “I am honoured to take on the role of President for the APAC region. This is an exciting time for Landor, and I am eager to build on our strong foundation and continue to drive innovation and growth. I look forward to working closely with our talented teams across APAC to deliver exceptional value to our clients.”

Singapore – International B2B marketing specialist Fifth Ring has announced the expansion of its Asia team with the appointment of two new marketing specialists and four promotions within the Singapore office. These moves reinforce Fifth Ring’s commitment to delivering industry-leading marketing expertise for clients across Asia.

The firm has welcomed Celestine Quek as account director and Shivani Shinde as account manager to the team in Singapore. Moreover, it has also promoted Parada Sritaragul as head of campaign, Jaralyne Cueto as campaign manager, Disha Puspitasari as senior campaign executive and Carolyn Kok as account manager.

Quek brings a wealth of strategic communication, marketing, client account management and cross-functional team leadership experience. With a proven track record of delivering integrated campaigns for leading brands globally, she will be instrumental in driving client growth and elevating our offering in Asia. 

Meanwhile, Shinde joined Fifth Ring with a broad knowledge of the maritime industry and a strong digital marketing background. She will be a key part of the account management team to deliver impactful marketing campaigns for clients.

Lastly, beyond the campaign team, Carolyn Kok, in her role as account manager, will now oversee client growth, maintain client relationships and provide strategic counsel to clients looking to drive successful B2B campaigns.

For Fifth Ring, its elevation of the global campaign team based in Singapore will enable the team to drive meaningful campaigns for clients regionally and globally. 

Debbie Ho, regional director at Fifth Ring Asia, said of the appointments, “The addition of Celestine and Shivani significantly strengthens our capabilities in Asia. Celestine’s experience managing global accounts, combined with Shivani’s knowledge in our specialist industries will be invaluable in helping our clients achieve their marketing goals and own their space in Asia’s dynamic B2B landscape.”

Meanwhile, Ian Ord, founder and chief executive officer at Fifth Ring, commented, “We are thrilled to recognise the dedication and talent of Parada, Carolyn, Jaralyne and Disha. Their promotions reflect their commitment to excellence and their contributions to the continued success of our global team.”

Fifth Ring’s client base in Asia includes manufacturer of high-value-added products in advanced stainless steel, special alloys, and industrial heating Alleima, provider of ammonia-to-power solutions Amogy, owner and operator of maritime transportation assets and specialised services AET and smart energy solutions provider CHINT.

Singapore – Dentsu has announced the dual appointments of Ganga Chirravuri as president of product and development for APAC and Matt Farrington as president of investment and trading for APAC. These strategic appointments underscore dentsu’s commitment to driving innovation and growth through its client solutions across the APAC region.

Chirravuri joined dentsu in March 2023 and has been instrumental in delivering a new and improved holistic product stack, elevating the competitiveness of our solutions. He brings nearly 25 years of experience in product management and technology development and has deep, unmatched knowledge of both media and customer platforms.

In his new role, he will continue to drive the strategic development of dentsu’s digital and data product portfolios, leading a team of talented engineers to build scalable, commercial solutions that are customisable to client, brand and market needs and drive incremental performance improvement of client’s ad dollars.

Prior to dentsu, he has extensive experience in software and product technology with a decade at Verizon and more recently as chief product officer at Shopmatic and chief technology officer at CtrlShift.

Speaking on Chirravuri’s appointment, Christina Lee, chief technology officer at dentsu APAC, said, “Ganga’s future mindset, creativity and long-term perspective has enabled the delivery of a product suite designed with client needs at the core, driving the effectiveness and competitiveness of our offering. More broadly, our Data & Technology evolution continues at pace and I’m delighted Ganga will spearhead this important agenda and unlock future, sustainable growth for our clients across all our brands in media, creative and CXM.”

Meanwhile, Farrington brings over 20 years of experience across modern and emerging media ecosystems having worked at agencies including GroupM and Omnicom, occupying leadership roles across both Australia and Singapore. He joins dentsu from Yahoo where he was the head of Partnerships & Investment, APAC and led the investment strategy for Yahoo AdTech across the region, including establishing multi-market holding group partnerships and overseeing all deal and investment activities.

For his new role, he will focus on developing high-quality media investment solutions that deliver sustainable, value-enhancing outcomes for clients, build leading capabilities within our agency disciplines, and strengthen relationships with key partners. His extensive background positions him well to lead and develop commercial partnership frameworks that create value for all stakeholders – its partners, teams, and clients.

Prerna Mehrotra, chief client officer and CEO of media for APAC at dentsu, said, “New media ecosystems are redefining the possibilities of what media can deliver. To win in this unbounded era we need to integrate media with data, technology, creativity, production, sports and entertainment to create new, deeply connected propositions that accelerate new revenue streams for clients. This starts with having visionary talent who fundamentally understand the complexity of the landscape, the opportunities for growth and how to realise it. It starts with our craft.”

He added, “These appointments are testament to that dedication to craft and innovation; Ganga and Matt’s roles mark a significant step-up, not only in capability but in our ability to deliver integrated, ‘++’ solutions for clients, delivering unparalleled impact by being client-first, craft-led and digitally ahead,” added Prerna Mehrotra.”

Singapore – Samir Singh, most recently the chair of Unilever Asia and head of Unilever Singapore Hub, has announced that he is officially leaving the company after 27 years. He has already hinted of joining another company, which he will announce towards the end of the year.

In a LinkedIn post, he reflected on how he valued his time with the company related to his teams and the relationships he had built, as well as how culture is far more powerful than grand statements of vision and purpose. 

“What kept me at Unilever and Hindustan Unilever for such a long time, beyond the diversity of roles and locations, beyond the successes and failures, are the small and often overlooked joys of this everyday existence,” he stated.

Singh further added, “When the culture and values of an organisation are congruent with yours, it is possible to do well in business, disrupt the status quo, face many setbacks, and still totally enjoy the everyday ‘work’ of getting there.”

He first joined the company as an area sales manager in 1998 for Hindustan Unilever, the Indian subsidiary of Unilever. He was then promoted to senior brand manager for skin care in 2001 before taking on a regional brand manager role for SEA and Middle East in 2003, and then as regional marketing director for skin care in SEA in 2005.

His first global leadership role came in 2006 when he was named Unilever’s global marketing director for skin care. At that time, he worked on the global marketing strategy for Unilever’s skin care brand Ponds. He was then named as global brand director for Vaseline based out Singapore in 2008, then as global brand vice president in 2010, where he lead the global branding strategy for Lifebuoy, Unilever’s soap brand.

Singh marked his return to Hindustan Unilever when he was named the executive director of personal care in 2014 before moving into a new global role as global executive vice president of skin cleansing in 2016. He was then promoted to the role of EVP for global skin cleansing and oral care in 2020 then as chief marketing officer for personal care in 2022.

Singapore – Aboitiz Data Innovation (ADI), the data science and AI start-up arm of the Aboitiz Group, has announced that Felicia Li-Gaillard is taking on an expanded role as its chief sustainability officer on top of her existing role with the company as its chief marketing officer, a role she took when she first joined ADI in February 2023.

In an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC, Felicia said that her expanded role will focus on helping ADI map its ESG roadmap and sustainability synergy.

“In my expanded role as chief sustainability officer (beyond my CMO remit), my responsibilities also include developing ADI’s sustainability framework which aligns with the Aboitiz Group’s sustainability synergy and ESG roadmap, ensuring regulatory compliance, fostering external partnerships, and educating ADI employers on our sustainable practices,” she explained.

How she intends to lead ADI’s marketing and sustainability efforts

When asked about her marketing strategy with ADI, Felicia notes that she is focused on ADI’s ambition to become the go-to partner for making AI work in their expanded markets beyond the Philippines and Singapore. 

“When we say “making AI work,” we mean addressing the gap between the hype and the practical implementation of AI in business operations. Many organisations struggle with understanding the foundations of AI or how to integrate it effectively. This is where ADI comes in, with a mission to provide real-world solutions that empower organisations across diverse industries,” she said.

Meanwhile, Felicia says that her sustainability leadership focuses more on ADI actively partnering with government agencies, industry partners, and communities to contribute to ESG goals through our expertise in data science and AI. A recent example of this initiative is ADI’s collaboration with OceanPixel and Baringa on a whitepaper titled “Future Blue Economies”. Said whitepaper explored how leveraging marine resources can drive sustainable development, promote sustainability, and create significant economic opportunities.

“ADI’s role is to offer insights on how data, AI, and technology can be utilised to optimise these efforts. We welcome similar collaborations from other organisations to partner with us,” she added.

Reflection on marketing leadership at ADI

Felicia is no stranger to handling senior marketing leadership roles for various companies across Asia-Pacific. Prior to joining ADI, she was Meta’s interim head of marketing for Facebook Gaming and Audience Network in Asia-Pacific. Prior to that, she also held other marketing roles with Integral Ad Science (IAS) and MoPub, Twitter’s mobile advertising network that was sold to AppLovin in 2021.

For her, what she loves most about her role as CMO is the autonomy and trust that allows her to excel at what she does best—building a fully functioning marketing team and fostering its growth.

“Given that ADI operates like a startup compared to other business units within the Aboitiz Group, we embrace a flexible mindset and often wear multiple hats. This dynamic environment offers my team members incredible opportunities to learn on the job and work across various areas within the marketing spectrum,” she said.

Under his leadership, ADI had also introduced a series of data science and AI products and capabilities, including Alternative Scoring, Transaction Monitoring, Customer Intelligence, and AI for Climate/ESG, tailored for the financial services, industrials, and public sectors. An example of this AI-powered product is ADI’s AVA AI.

“Most recently, we launched AVA AI, our generative AI (GenAI) platform designed to empower enterprises across both the public and private sectors. We have an exciting lineup of new products and markets in the future. This kind of high growth really ignites me and my team to continue pushing boundaries and achieving new results,” she explained.

She also explains that she is a staunch supporter of fostering a great team culture, particularly in connecting employees across 14 countries, and have collaborated closely with their talent team on various initiatives designed to enhance team building, promote company culture, and strengthen employer branding.

“We also prioritise transparent communication and regular updates to ensure all team members feel connected and informed, regardless of their location. Building a strong culture is not just about creating a positive work environment; it is a critical component of our continuous growth and success,” she added.

Tackling marketing challenges in the AI, data scene–the ADI way

When asked about what she thinks is the biggest challenge the AI and data industry face this year, Felicia says that the challenge is building trust, especially in traditional industries and large corporations.

“At ADI, we serve clients primarily from the banking, financial services, power, industrial, and public sectors. While these organizations recognize the need to adopt AI in their operations, they often struggle with data dispersed across multiple sources and systems. This fragmentation leads to missed crucial insights and hampers strategic decision-making,” she said.

Another particular challenge she highlights is data privacy and security; where relying on GenAI platforms that depend exclusively on publicly-available information is prone to generating irrelevant or inaccurate answers and increasing security risks for enterprises.

“These inefficiencies can stifle team productivity and overall operational effectiveness. All these attributes to the cautions about the adoption of AI solutions or finding the right solutions that can meet their unique business needs,” she said.

Felicia further added, “That’s why we launched AVA AI, our GenAI platform designed for enterprises, with the sole purpose in mind to simplify how enterprises interact with their data. By streamlining processes and enhancing workflows, we enable them to not only make informed decisions swiftly and efficiently, but also to uncover valuable insights.”

She also noted that as marketing teams have always been early adopters of the latest trends and technologies. She believes that most marketing teams are now using various GenAI platforms to create AI-powered content. Moreover, she also encourages her team to embrace new technologies, learning to use them to their advantage to improve efficiency and generate highly targeted insights for their audience.

“As a revenue-driven marketer, I am particularly excited about leveraging AI for predictive lead scoring and sales forecasting. By utilising AI to analyse data patterns, we can predict and recommend the next actions for our marketing and sales teams, allowing us to prioritise our efforts on the most promising opportunities,” she said.

Felicia added, “Having an enterprise-grade GenAI interface within the organization is becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s business landscape. At ADI, as a data science and AI company, we are constantly testing new ideas, and I am looking forward to deploying these innovations in our day-to-day operations.”

Singapore – Scott Beaumont, most recently the president for Asia-Pacific at Google, has announced that he is retiring from the company after being with the company for 16 years. For his role, he also stated that he will pass the role to his colleague Sanjay Gupta, most recently the country head and vice president at Google India.

In a LinkedIn post, Beaumont reflected on how Google is now at the forefront of an exciting new age of technology with AI, and how he had the privilege of invest his time differently in teaching, advising, leading and serving Google.

“It has been the most incredible experience whether in London, Shanghai or Singapore. I have thoroughly enjoyed experiencing so many different cultures, histories, languages and ambitions across both Europe and then Asia. It has been so rewarding to meet, advise, learn from and partner with a huge number of motivated commercial partners and customers, entrepreneurs, governments and NGOs,” he said.

Speaking on passing the leadership role to Gupta, Beaumont commented, “Since our first meeting five years ago, I have seen Sanjay’s drive to think ambitiously about how technology can be a power for good in the development of his home country: India. He now has the opportunity to pursue that same calling more broadly across Asia Pacific. I know Sanjay will do the position, his team and the company enormous credit and I look forward to supporting him in his early months.”

Beaumont first joined Google in 2009 where he first served as its managing director for partnerships in North & Central Europe. In 2013, he was elevated to the role of president at Google Greater China & Korea before getting promoted once again to be Google’s president in APAC in 2019.

Prior to Google, he was the executive vice president of alliances and partnerships at T-Mobile from 2000 to 2004. He then co-founded a tech startup Refresh Mobile and served as its CEO from 2004 to 2009. Outside of his leadership role, he also serves an advisory role for the popular racing team McLaren since 2021.