Tag: Leadership

Singapore – Tin Pei Ling, an elected member of the Singaporean parliament, has announced her exit from Grab as its director of corporate development, seven months after she took said role.

In a LinkedIn post, she said that she looks forward to embarking on a new journey in her career, and take on a more external-facing and commercial role in the tech sector.

“In the time that I have been with Grab, I am privileged to meet many talented Grabbers with great personalities and get involved in several projects. These are meaningful experiences and memories that I will continue to hold dear and be thankful for,” she said.

While she didn’t mention where she will be moving next, Pei Ling hinted that she will be joining a fintech company, where she will take on a leadership role in strategic partnerships and business development.

“I am excited that this new role will give me the opportunity to support the company’s product innovation efforts and expansion into key Asia-Pacific markets,”

She also mentioned that she has been thankful for her time at Grab, noting she admired the company’s social mission in the Southeast Asian region.

“It has been an invaluable experience for me at Grab, as it was an opportunity for me to return to the private sector, to broaden my horizons, hone new skills and allow me to make a contribution in a different way. I admire Grab’s social mission – ‘to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone’,” she concluded.

She was first elected as an MP for the Marine Parade GRC back in 2011, and was re-elected in 2015 and 2020 for the MacPherson SMC. She has been also appointed as Chair of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Communications and Information in the 14th Parliament.

Singapore – Multinational hospitality company Marriott International has announced a slew of executive appointments across Asia-Pacific, excluding China, which positions the company for future growth in the region and tap into its leadership pool to better meet localised needs and support customers, associates, and owners.

Leading the appointment list are John Toomey as chief sales and marketing officer, Asia-Pacific (excluding China); Christina Chan as chief financial officer, Asia-Pacific (excluding China); and Andrew Newmark as chief human resources Officer, Asia-Pacific (excluding China).

Across his 27-year career with Marriott, Toomey has held a strong track record for driving performance and collaboration. Under his leadership, Marriott entered a partnership with digital giant, Rakuten, tapping into their 110-million-member base to expand the growth of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty platform.

Other appointed leaders include Oriol Montal as managing director for luxury, Asia-Pacific (excluding China); Karen Kim, as vice-president for global design, Asia-Pacific (excluding China); and Shawn Hill as chief development officer, Asia-Pacific (excluding China).

Rajeev Menon, president for Asia-Pacific (excluding China) at Marriott International, said, “Asia-Pacific remains a strategic market for the company, representing tremendous growth potential and exciting opportunities for the business. I am confident that our new organisational structure positions us well for the next chapter of growth in the region.”

Australia – Australian communications firm Icon Agency has announced that David Radestock has been promoted to the newly-created position of executive director of communications. Radestock, who formerly worked as the agency’s director of technology, will now be in charge of Icon’s Communications department and manage an array of tech clients, including Slack, Salesforce, and Schneider Electric.

The agency has also announced the promotion of Carly Vale to the role of business operations director. Vale, most recently the agency’s senior program director who began working for the organisation in February 2022, has continually shown excellent leadership abilities and successfully managed multiple projects. She will work closely with agency leadership in her new position to find possibilities for radical change, develop integrated processes, and make sure the agency has the capability of producing outstanding client work. 

The new promotions show the agency’s dedication to building an effective organisational framework to support its expanding team and clientele.

According to Icon Agency Managing Director Joanne Painter, Radestock was a perfect fit to lead the communications team, bringing experience across sectors and communications disciplines via his work with major brands, including Microsoft, American Express, Lenovo, Twitter and Commonwealth Bank.

“Since joining Icon earlier this year, David quickly earned the trust and respect of the entire agency. His passion and expertise have been clear from day one and ultimately he was an obvious choice to take on this critical leadership role,” she said.

Painter also added that Carly’s promotion followed her leadership on several successful projects and her new role addressed the agency’s need for an organisational structure to support its growing team and client roster.

“This new role is recognition of the fantastic work Carly continues to do and the great ideas and plans she has for the agency’s future. Her tireless work allows the rest of the agency to integrate seamlessly, delivering high-quality work for our clients. She is the agency’s backbone supporting all our teams across four States,” she said.

Singapore – Southeast Asian ride-hailing super-app Grab has announced that its co-founder Tan Hooi Ling is stepping down from her operating roles in the company, including her directorship, by the end of 2023. With this, Ling will be transitioning into an advisory role for the company.

She co-founded Grab with Anthony Tan, group CEO, in 2012, and worked at other companies in the United States before rejoining Grab in April 2015. She led various operations and technology teams as chief operating officer until the appointment of Alex Hungate in January 2022. 

She currently leads Grab’s technology organisation, and is mentoring the next-generation of technology leaders, including Suthen Thomas, Grab’s group chief technology officer, and Philipp Kandal, chief product officer. Ling has also served as a member of Grab’s Board of Directors since its public listing in December 2021.

Speaking on the new development, Ling said, “Grab has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. The impact we create is a reflection of who we are as a team, and I am humbled to have been able to walk alongside Anthony and the many amazing Grabbers who share the same values and work ethic to build something that improves lives in Southeast Asia.”

She added, “People who know me well know that I am an adventurer at heart, and there are many other personal passions that I have put aside to build Grab with Anthony. With the strong leadership bench we currently have, I believe now is the right time for me to pass on the baton to our next generation of leaders, and to pursue these other passions. I look forward to seeing how Suthen, our first engineering leader who understands the nuts and bolts of Grab and the region, and Philipp, an entrepreneurial and customer-centric product leader, take our technology teams to greater heights.”

Meanwhile, Tan commented, “I have enormous respect and love for Ling, as both a business partner and a good friend. We set the vision to build a double, now triple, bottom line company together, and I am so blessed to have found a true partner who cares deeply about the impact we create for Grabbers, our partners and our region.” 

He added, “Ling has invested herself fully into setting up the right leadership bench and cultural foundations for Grab to thrive for the long-term, and while I will miss working with her dearly, I thank her for the many years of trust and partnership, and wholeheartedly support her decision to pursue her personal passions.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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).