Tag: Leadership

Singapore – Equativ, a global independent ad platform, has announced changes in its senior leadership team, with the appointment of Rueben Vijaratnam as its new managing director for SEA. 

Vijaratnam will join the Singapore office to develop a demand-focused strategy and guide Equativ to even greater success. With his strategic vision and leadership, the SEA team is expected to reach new heights, ensuring continued success and growth for the company in the region.

With significant experience in regional sales, Vijaratnam brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will be instrumental in driving growth and innovation.

His background includes six years at Yahoo, where he honed his skills in digital sales and marketing. He then spent two years at Oath, playing a key role in developing and executing strategic initiatives that significantly boosted demand and revenue. Most recently, Rueben spent 5 years at Quantcast, leading demand generation efforts and contributing to substantial market expansion and success.

Throughout his career, Vijaratnam has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to understand and respond to market needs, driving demand and fostering strong client relationships. His expertise in ‘demand leadership’ will be invaluable for Equativ as it aims to continuously innovate and expand its offerings.

Vijaratnam’s appointment marks a significant milestone for the APAC Business Unit, underscoring the company’s dedication to continuous improvement and growth. 

In his appointment, Vijaratnam commented, “I am excited to be joining Equativ at a very interesting point in our journey. The recent merger with Sharethrough springboards Equativ to a new level in the company’s global ambitions, and curation is becoming an ever more important solution to the challenges facing brands who are navigating the digital world today. We look forward to growing the Singapore office, expanding our footprint in Southeast Asia with existing and new partners, and truly delivering the promise of adtech in this region.”

Céline Gauthier-Darnis, EVP for MENA & APAC at Equativ, added, “I am confident that with Rueben as a leading figure, we will solidify our supply position as a key player in the region and accelerate and scale our ambitions with Demand by achieving success and exceeding expectations.”

Singapore – Global marketing and advertising agency dentsu has recently announced the appointments of Sanchit Mendiratta as chief growth officer, SEA and managing director of CXM at dentsu Singapore.

Concurrently, Trishe Goh has been promoted to senior director of Growth, Merkle.

Mendiratta and Goh’s appointments serve to bolster the expansion of its Customer Experience Management (“CXM”) capabilities across Southeast Asia.

Through its data-driven CXM agency, Merkle, dentsu’s Southeast Asia cluster will serve as a centre of excellence for analytics, customer data management, as well as customer experience and commerce for the network’s clients in the region.

Speaking on their appointments, Mendiratta and Goh jointly commented, “Our people-based marketing approach helps brands create a competitive advantage to thrive in the experience economy. We have local teams that keep a close pulse on the ground, and bring a strong understanding of the dynamics of each market in shaping transformative experiences that work for the right audiences.”

“But more importantly, our end-to-end integrated solutions seamlessly marries the best of creative, media, and CX to deliver winning strategies for our clients in an increasingly competitive consumer landscape. We look forward to helping more brands win in the era of Southeast Asia,” they added.

Commenting as well, Sanjay Bhasin, CEO, dentsu, Southeast Asia, said, “With our proven track record in delivering data-driven customer experience transformation and our hyper pulse on consumer behaviours on the ground, we are excited to reimagine the customer experience with brands who are ready for this journey. I am confident that Sanchit and Trishe will propel our growth in this segment across the cluster.”

Meanwhile, Chun Yin Mak, president, CXM, dentsu APAC, mentioned, “As incomes and consumption rise across Southeast Asia, consumer demographics will diversify as the competition for their time and attention intensifies. This is where we can help brands win with agility, technology, data, and experience. We have been at the forefront of driving innovation and transformation in customer experience around the world, and now, Sanchit and Trishe are well-placed to further grow our presence with our clients in Southeast Asia.”

Singapore – Erika Cleo Foo, formerly the vice president of communications at Singlife, has recently been named the new vice president of communications and brand experience for Asia-Pacific at ING. In an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC, Foo shared that she will report to Christine Kam, head of communications and brand experience for ING APAC.

“Working closely with regional and country teams to ensure consistent messaging and positioning throughout the Asia-Pacific region, as well as ensuring the alignment and effectiveness of communications initiatives, will be crucial aspects of my role,” she said.

When asked about her strategies in her new role, she stated that she aims to focus on executing effective communication strategies to position ING as a regional leader in sustainable finance.

“ING has a strong foundation in APAC, and I’m eager to leverage that to elevate our position as a leader in sustainable finance. This is a crucial area for the future of the financial services industry, and ING’s expertise aligns perfectly with the growing demand for environmentally and socially conscious solutions across the region,” she said.

Prior to joining ING, Foo was with Singlife for two years, where she managed the company’s strategic communications plans in alignment with business objectives and brand identity.

She previously spent over five years with the National Heritage Board, handling various roles related to marketing communications and programming efforts.

“My experiences at Singlife and the National Heritage Board have taught me the importance of balancing innovation with tradition. From Singlife, I bring a strong understanding of digital-first strategies and the importance of integrating technology into customer experiences,” she said.

Foo added, “At the National Heritage Board, I learned the value of storytelling and creating emotionally engaging brand experiences. I believe these learnings have helped me create compelling and innovative brand experiences, leveraging both technology and storytelling to connect with audiences.”

When asked about specific brand experience challenges the banking and insurance industries face, she highlighted navigating the increasing regulatory landscape while maintaining a seamless customer experience, as well as ensuring data privacy and security in an era of digital transformation.

“On the opportunity side, the rapid adoption of digital technologies provides a chance to enhance customer engagement through personalized and convenient services. Additionally, there is a growing opportunity to build trust and loyalty by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, which are increasingly important to customers,” she said.

Discussing the opportunities the industry may see this year, she stated, “Customers today expect a seamless and personalized experience across all channels. This presents a challenge, but also an opportunity for differentiation through innovative and customer-centric brand experiences. Institutions that leverage advanced analytics to gain deeper insights into customer behaviour will benefit from more strategic decision-making, resulting in meaningful and tailored solutions for their end-users.”

Foo also added, “Building trust and brand loyalty will be crucial in the competitive APAC market. Transparency, ethical practices, and a focus on customer well-being will be key differentiators. Institutions that embrace a purpose-driven approach that aligns with the values of their audiences, such as sustainability and ethical practices, will find themselves a step ahead in building long-term brand loyalty.”

Singapore – Now Comms Asia has announced the appointment of Joe Sen as its new group managing director. In this role, he will spearhead regional operations across Asia Pacific and Japan – with a particular focus on Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and Indonesia, to drive growth and strategic excellence.

Sen has a robust background in crafting and executing successful marketing strategies for the world’s top brands. His curiosity, passion for people and love for storytelling have driven his numerous successes, positioning him perfectly to hoist Now Comms Asia’s strategic capabilities. 

As group managing director, he will focus on elevating Now Comms Asia’s ability to bring even more quality to an exceptional track record on its operations and relationships; further improving the calibre that Now Comms Asia has in service delivery.

His role will also encompass an enhancement of service delivery quality to help foster stronger client relationships, and on casting out a comprehensive intergroup strategy that will ensure the consistent delivery of top-notch marketing services – ensuring a seamless integration across all subsidiaries. 

Speaking on his new role, Sen said, “Now Comms Asia has a strong foundation of delivering exceptional brand experiences that drive business results. Our clients continue to seek our agility and expertise in connecting with their customers across an increasingly complex landscape. I am excited to be joining the team at a time of great change, bringing a strategic lens to the next stage of our growth.”

Meanwhile, Andrew McArthur-Edwards, group CEO of Now Comms Asia, said, “Anyone who knows Joe recognises his unique approach to driving growth – a #kindadifferent marketing leader. As a commercially minded strategist he is the perfect person to lead the company on its next level of expansion in the region. I’m excited to give this opportunity to such a brilliant mind and incredibly happy that he has accepted the position, stepping up from the strategy roles he proved himself in to take the helm and steer our business.”

Singapore – Iris, a global creative network, has appointed Shea Warnes as the new chief strategy officer of Iris Singapore. In the new role he will report to Rebecca Nadilo, managing director of Iris Singapore, responsible for leading integrated strategy and further propelling Iris’ social and content product, Iris Inc–which stands for Igniting New Creators.

Warnes joins from Dentsu Creative, where he was head of strategy based in Singapore, working across key clients that included Activision Blizzard, Amex, Toyota, Manulife and the Singapore government. 

He has worked in New York, London, Australia and Singapore, and brings unique experience that bridges tech, social and brand from over 15 years in senior roles at companies such as Meta, BBH London and Havas, as well as launching Media.Monks for ANZ in 2020.

Speaking on his new role, Warnes said, “What I’ve found in Iris is an agency committed to the simple and powerful idea of building brands people want to talk about. I’m in awe of the talent, skillsets and agility here to get to different shaped ideas that work, which is critical when so much of what our industry pumps out is wallpaper and noise.”

He added, “I’m looking forward to working with Becs and the teams here to refine the inputs and outputs to get to culturally-fit creative. That requires a new creative OS that better marries fame with performance, and I’m excited to partner with our clients to deliver growth and value.”

Meanwhile, Nadilo commented, “When there’s a cost of media crisis going on, and 4 out of 5 people are more influenced by people than ads, we need someone who thinks about the conversations we want people to be having and then marry audacious creative ideas with social, content and creators, and Shea does exactly that.”

She added, “I’m beyond excited to welcome Shea to the Iris Singapore team. Not only does he have great creative instinct and a way to reduce problems into one line, or deliver simple truth bombs, but he is also a great human who will lead with empathy, collaborate brilliantly and continue to shape Iris Singapore into a place where people do and feel their best.”

Tokyo, Japan – Creative innovation company R/GA has promoted Anthony Baker to the role of managing director of R/GA Japan. In his new role, he will focus on expanding long-term strategic partnerships to deliver creative solutions for clients that drive business growth in new ways. 

This strategy centres on intersecting expertise in strategy, brand, design, communications, and technology in unique and effective ways. 

In the past year under Baker’s leadership as general manager, R/GA Japan has achieved double-digit profit growth, while expanding its workforce by 30%. R/GA will continue working with Japanese brands to compete locally and internationally, while helping global clients expand in the Japanese market and reach new audiences. 

Some of the company’s recent collaborations include a disruptive Black Friday activation with gaming company PONOS, leading to an expanded partnership across the US, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea and earning international recognition at D&AD. R/GA has also strengthened relationships with long-term partners Nike and Google and brands including Shiseido, Fujitsu and Sapporo focusing on digital transformation, product activations and loyalty initiatives.

Speaking on his promotion, Baker said, “It’s rare to find strategic agency partners who grasp Japan’s distinct culture and bring together diverse, global teams, and network capabilities. R/GA stands out in offering exceptional talent and applying network accelerator tools in AI, cloud computing, search intelligence, and data in both Japanese and English. I deeply appreciate R/GA’s trust in me and my team’s support, as we take our work and operations to new heights.”

Meanwhile, Michael Titshall, chief executive officer for Asia-Pacific at R/GA, commented, “Anthony has driven R/GA Japan to achieve new levels of success, delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients. Our collaboration with PONOS, and global brands like Google, Nike and Fujitsu in groundbreaking work, underscore Anthony’s exceptional leadership. We look forward to continued impact under his guidance as R/GA enters its next phase in North Asia.”

With more than 25 years of global experience as a digital lead and technologist, Baker co-founded R/GA Japan, establishing key client relationships and strategic partnerships across APAC, driving business growth and securing international accolades. Anthony moved to Japan in 2017 from R/GA London having expanded the London office from 30 to 350 members in six years with clients like Nokia, Microsoft, Google, and Nike. 

California, USA – Global financial services company PayPal has announced a new roster of new leadership appointment following the company’s goal of creating an advertising platform as well as strengthening the company’s consumer value proposition. The new leadership appointments include Mark Grether as SVP and general manager at PayPal Ads and John Anderson has joined as SVP and general manager fo consumer group.

Both Grether and Anderson will report to Diego Scotti, EVP and general manager fo consumer group and global marketing & communications at PayPal.

Grether has been a leader in the advertising industry for more than 20 years. He joins PayPal from Uber, where he was recently the vice president and general manager of Uber Advertising. Prior to Uber, he led the product strategy for Amazon’s advertising business, and he served as CEO of Sizmek, one of the largest independent advertising platforms globally, which was sold to Amazon in 2019. He was also the co-founder and global COO of WPP’s Xaxis, which became a leading programmatic media company.

“Commerce and advertising are deeply connected, and we believe that the advertising platform we are building at PayPal will become a must-use marketing channel for merchants big and small. I’m thrilled to have Mark join our team and lead this important work,” Scotti said.

Meanwhile, Anderson has spent over 20 years at the intersection of technology platforms and payments. He will be accountable for PayPal’s consumer business, including product strategy for PayPal and Venmo globally. Anderson joins PayPal from Plaid, where he was head of product and payments. Prior to Plaid, he spent a decade at Meta in numerous product and leadership roles, including head of product for Oculus, head of Facebook Japan, and head of product and operations teams for payments, commerce, and risk.

“John brings strong experience in developing groundbreaking, personalized consumer experiences to PayPal, which will drive relevance of our brands, fuel our innovation pipeline, and give more reasons for consumers and merchants to choose PayPal,” Scotti said.

The advertising business, which will include PayPal’s advanced offers platform, will use customer insights to build a dynamic, truly personalised platform that will drive better advertising spend performance for merchants while delighting consumers with compelling offers.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad (DLMI), a part of FrieslandCampina in the Netherlands, the multinational dairy company, has appointed Xing Jun Khoo as its head of digital, media, and insights in Malaysia. In this role, Khoo’s main responsibility will focus on leveraging the wealth of data and information available within the organisation.

In an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC, Khoo also added that by leveraging the company’s data, he will be able to create cohesive and actionable strategies in line with FrieslandCampina’s current business strategy, as well as being able to drive effective decision-making across the organisation.

“I am looking forward to leveraging the wealth of data and information we have within the organisation, particularly from the consumer front. My goal is to integrate this data into actionable strategies that will enable us to craft even more effective digital and media approaches. By doing so, we can identify methods that align more closely with consumer needs and market trends,” Khoo told MARKETECH APAC.

Prior to this new role, he was recently with Accenture Song, where he served as its manager for brand and communication strategy. Prior to this, he was also with Entropia where he held various media roles until Accenture Interactive’s acquisition of said agency in June 2021.

“During my time at Accenture Song, I had the privilege of collaborating with various teams and analysing diverse forms of data to craft comprehensive strategies for our clients. This experience honed my ability to create integrated solutions that align with business objectives. I plan to bring this skill set to DLMI, ensuring that our strategies are data-driven and effectively address the needs of our consumers and stakeholders.” he stated.

When asked what particular challenges and opportunities digital and media strategies are having this year, he noted that with changing consumer behaviours and economic conditions, there is a challenge in adapting to these changes whilst maintaining cost-effectiveness.

“However, this also presents an opportunity for us to craft more effective and efficient strategies. By leveraging data analytics and AI technologies, we can better understand and engage with our audience, ensuring that our digital and media investments are both smart and impactful,” he explained.

For Khoo, it is also worth noting that two trends will help shape marketing strategies and that is the integration of generative AI tools to improve current marketing strategies, as well as having sustainability initiatives being on the top of mind for brands this year.

“At DLMI, we are committed to staying ahead by incorporating advanced AI technologies into our marketing strategies, allowing us to create more personalised and efficient campaigns. Additionally, we are dedicated to enhancing our sustainability initiatives, ensuring that we continue to prioritise our purpose of ‘Nourishing Our Nation,’ while ensuring that our practices remain socially and environmentally responsible. By focusing on these areas, we aim to lead the industry in both innovation and sustainability,” he concluded

At the heart of entrepreneurial success lies a keen, observant eye and an unwavering passion for bridging gaps in the market. For one visionary entrepreneur, his journey began with a profound realisation born from contrasting market trends across diverse regions. 

For MARKETECH APAC’s latest Milestone Series, we spoke with Rajiv Lamba, CEO and founder of SurveySensum and global managing director of NeuroSensum, to talk about one of his greatest milestones — creating an innovative AI-powered solutions platform to uncover deep consumer insights and democratise market research. 

In this piece, Lamba shares the inspiration behind the inception of SurveySensum and his journey in understanding consumer behaviour through technology and data-driven insights.

A vision realised through data 

Lamba’s journey began when he started observing contrasting market trends across different regions. Early in his career, he had some profound realisations, having noticed a stark difference in how consumers in the West versus those in Southeast Asia approached sharing feedback and preferences with brands.

“In Southeast Asian cultures, consumers would rarely provide direct, critical feedback in quantitative surveys, often claiming they liked a product or advertisement even if they didn’t,” Lamba explained. 

The observations Lamba made sparked his passion for bringing neuroscience principles into the market research realm through NeuroSensum, a neuroscience and AI-technology-based market research company. By leveraging tools like electroencephalography (EEG), facial coding, and eye-tracking, Lamba and his team could finally unveil the unspoken truths lingering in the subconscious minds of consumers. For him, it was an exhilarating experience to be able to unlock profound insights for their clients. 

However, as he delved deeper into the market research landscape, another glaring issue became apparent to him. Lamba identified that there is still a lack of fast, affordable, and accessible solutions for enterprises of all sizes. A staggering number of businesses couldn’t regularly leverage research consultancies due to the exorbitant costs and lengthy timelines involved.

Recognising the need for affordable and accessible market research solutions, Lamba founded SurveySensum under the Neurosensum umbrella. SurveySensum is an AI-powered customer experience platform that could democratise real-time customer feedback, making it a reality for mid-sized and large enterprises alike. 

“I envisioned a future where companies could rapidly build and share omnichannel surveys, gaining invaluable consumer insights at a fraction of research agencies’ cost, and enterprises could do more consumer research and make data-backed decisions,” Lamba shared. 

Building the vision, one piece of data at a time 

While the idea of launching SurveySensum holds a lot of promise for the industry, pioneering a disruptive technology is never without its challenges. Sceptics doubted the shift from traditional methods to a DIY customer feedback SaaS (software-as-a-service) solution.

However, no amount of doubt made Lamba let go of his vision, a strong belief that would soon pay him off tremendously. SurveySensum has grown into a platform that now serves over 170 large and mid-sized enterprises globally, spanning sectors as diverse as FMCG, telecommunications, banking, insurance, e-commerce, healthcare, retail, and automotive. 

What started as a vision has finally materialised into a platform that has helped clients save a remarkable 70–80% on their market research spending and up to 90% in overall time invested. 

Commenting on those challenges, Lamba stated, “My team and I persevered, fueled by our profound conviction that AI would inevitably reshape this industry. We doubled down on defining our target personas, educating them on the immense value SurveySensum could unlock, and demonstrating our real-world impact through our work.” 

It is interesting to note that while he’s working on SurveySensum, Lamba also serves as the global managing director at NeuroSensum, which means he was juggling both responsibilities across both entities. 

He revealed that his primary goals have been to generate consistent cash flow through a blend of internal profitability and external funding, while also exploring new avenues for growth, differentiation, and expansion beyond their current operations in Indonesia, India, Malaysia, and Manila, and their client base spanning over 25 countries worldwide.

“It’s a delicate balancing act, but one that I’ve approached with a steadfast focus on building an exceptional leadership team and empowering them to execute our innovative strategies. It’s a lofty endeavour, but one that has only strengthened my resolve and leadership capabilities over time,” Lamba stated. 

Shaping the future of market research 

Lamba believes SurveySensum has revolutionised how businesses approach data-driven decision-making.

Whereas such in-depth analysis once took weeks or months of arduous manual coding, SurveySensum has condensed that process to minutes. Companies can finally respond with agility to the rapidly evolving needs and sentiments of their customers, pivoting strategies and staying ahead of the competition like never before.

“Looking back, I’m incredibly proud of how SurveySensum has indelibly transformed the way businesses approach data-driven decision-making. By harnessing the power of AI and machine learning, we’ve made it possible to derive real-time insights from open-ended customer feedback across a multitude of languages, including Asian native languages,” he added. 

Lamba also shared that he is incredibly excited about the future that awaits customer feedback platforms like SurveySensum, as the accelerating advancements in AI and machine learning will undoubtedly continue shaping this domain in profound ways.

“At SurveySensum, we’re already at the forefront of these trends with our cutting-edge text analytics capabilities. Our proprietary algorithms are continuously trained and refined across verticals, geographies, and data sets, ensuring our ability to extract accurate, actionable insights from even the most nuanced customer verbatim grows more potent by the day,” he explained. 

On the idea of future trends and technology shaping customer feedback platforms, Lamba believes that SurveySensum is positioned well enough to capitalise on these trends. The brand is already working to launch an AI summary and insights on our platform, where a client doesn’t need to analyse the data or information from the surveys, but the platform itself will be able to provide a textual summary and actionable insights. This will again save hours of analysis time and reduce dependency on research agencies and consultants for consumer research needs.

“Moreover, our omnichannel approach has perfectly positioned us to thrive in today’s ecosystem, where consumers are engaging with brands across a myriad of digital and physical touchpoints. Whether it’s email, WhatsApp, SMS, QR codes, chatbots, or social media, SurveySensum empowers companies to connect with their audiences wherever they are,” Lamba added. 

Personal and career reflections

Reflecting on SurveySensum’s milestones, including four successful funding rounds and achieving profitability, Lamba takes pride in the journey of disruptive innovation. 

“I can’t help but swell with immense pride and gratitude. This journey has been an exhilarating testament to the power of disruptive innovation and the tireless efforts of my passionate and highly talented team,” he shared. 

As he reached his fifth year on SurveySensum, he shared that some of his most profound learnings have stemmed from the setbacks and course corrections they’ve had to navigate along the way. The team faced some major mistakes early on, getting too caught up in the competitive landscape and over-engineering their initial product far beyond the basics of a true ‘minimum viable product’ (MVP).

It wasn’t until they took that first iteration to market that Lamba and his team realised it wasn’t aligned with what their clients truly needed. That, for him, was a wake-up call that taught him a lesson he will never forget: the paramount importance of deeply understanding your market from the outset.

“Knowing your target personas inside and out, grasping the nuances of their pain points and the true market size, and talking to them directly are the crucial first steps before investing significant time and resources into product development. Getting a lean MVP into the market rapidly, absorbing feedback, and iterating from that stable base is the smartest path to sustainable growth,” Lamba further explained. 

For Lamba, if there’s one piece of advice he could impart to aspiring entrepreneurs, it would be to make understanding your market deeply a priority from day one. Define your target personas with granularity, validate the scale of the opportunity, and start leaning with an MVP before overinvesting prematurely. Then, embrace an evolution mindset—continue evolving that initial solution based on real user inputs and consumption patterns.

“This approach has become the bedrock of my own entrepreneurial philosophy and leadership mindset. While the path has been arduous, it has also been immensely rewarding, constantly propelling me to new heights of personal growth, strategic thinking, and passionate determination,” he said. 

Another piece of advice from him is to closely monitor profitability and cash flow from operations and align your management team so that the company is self-reliant and self-sustainable. In spite of having two offerings—neuroscience-based consulting and SurveySensum SAAS solutions—we became profitable in our fourth year, and at the same time, we were able to get business from more than 25 countries across the globe and have a physical presence in four countries.

Lamba’s journey with Neurosensum and SurveySensum exemplifies the impact of innovative thinking and technological integration in market research. As he continues to lead with passion and vision, the future of market research promises to be more insightful and accessible than ever before.

“As I look to the future, I’m filled with excitement for what lies ahead for SurveySensum and the market research industry as a whole. The key is to keep evolving, keep rapidly iterating, keep shattering paradigms, and never lose sight of the deepest needs of your clients and the value they expect you to provide them,” Lamba concluded. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Ravi Shankar Mallavarapu, most recently with Carsome, has been recently appointed as the chief marketing officer of AirAsia MOVE, airasia’s travel and lifestyle app–and formerly known as airasia Digital.

In an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC, Ravi said, “I am entrusted with shaping and implementing our comprehensive branding and marketing strategy. This strategy is designed to enhance brand recognition and become a top-of-mind travel companion for ASEAN travelers, aligning with our business objectives.”

He also noted his particular interest in adopting AI strategies to AirAsia MOVE’s marketing strategies, stating, “I am particularly keen on leveraging AI in our marketing strategies. This includes leveraging AI across multiple marketing functions to increase productivity; prioritising the adoption of AI will help us stay competitive and relevant in the rapidly evolving travel market. The other priority is to build a community of creators who are loyal to the brand and keep generating content for us.”

Prior to this new role, Ravi was recently the chief marketing officer at Carsome for over two years, where he handled the brand’s marketing, digital, social media, public relations, growth, market research and customer experience. He also worked closely with Derek Tan, chief brand officer at Carsome, on brand, creative, production and sponsorships.

It is also worth mentioning that this marks Ravi’s return to the airasia ecosystem. He was with AirAsia for five years, where he had served various leadership roles that included group head of digital marketing and chief growth officer.

“My tenure as CMO at Carsome taught me how difficult it is to build a brand and that it is not just a marketing responsibility. I’m looking forward to working with the fantastic team [at AirAsia MOVE] and working on the vast amounts of data,” he stated.

When asked about challenges and opportunities related to AI-integrated marketing strategies, Ravi said that adapting strategies in Gen AI presents both opportunities and challenges, and it depends on how fast the industry leverages and implements them in daily work.

“In 2024 and beyond, I foresee a continued emphasis on personalised travel experiences. At AirAsia MOVE, aligning with these trends involves adopting more sustainable practices in our operations and marketing and utilising technology to tailor unique travel experiences that meet evolving consumer expectations,” he concluded.