Tag: Leadership

London, United Kingdom – Socially-led creative agency We Are Social has appointed key leaders to boost its global operations. The agency has promoted Mobbie Nazir as its new chief strategy and growth officer, Emma Cumming as chief of staff, and Silvia Mauri as global head of people and culture.

Nazir previously held the role of global chief strategy officer. Expanding his role, Nazir will oversee the agency’s global business growth, solidifying its position in the market. He will also focus on marketing and public relations, bolstering social media strategy.

Meanwhile, Cumming was formerly the agency’s global culture director. In her new role, she will handle strategic initiatives, overseeing leadership effectiveness and internal communications.

Mauri, previously the global people director, will be focusing on the agency’s employee satisfaction and engagement in her new role.

Nazir, Cumming, and Mauri comprise We Are Social’s executive management board.

“Social media is more crucial than ever for marketers and We Are Social is in the fortunate position of being the world’s leading social agency at a time when investment in social is accelerating. As the social landscape evolves, we’re seeing increasing opportunities to build on what we’re best known for – our first-class social creative output – with more creator and influencer-led work, greater global scale and an increased focus on the integration of paid social and ROI-driven measurement. I’m excited to be taking on this role, helping align our approach to growth more closely with our wider business strategy,” Nazir commented. 

Toby Southgate, global group chief executive officer at We Are Social, said, “The promotions of Mobbie, Emma and Silvia mark a significant shift for We Are Social, demonstrating our commitment to growth and to our people. With Mobbie’s extensive experience in global client and strategy work, and her huge contribution to our business strategy and thought leadership over the last decade, she’s perfectly placed to drive our growth plans forward at the speed that social demands. 

“I’d also like to congratulate Emma and Silvia on their well-deserved promotions. They have both been key players in the agency for a long time, and their roles will be vital to ensuring that our people all over the world thrive, can make career-defining work, and have fun doing it. Their leadership will be invaluable to our continued success,” Southgate added.Southgate, to whom the newly promoted leaders will report, was recently appointed to lead We Are Social as global group CEO.

India – Landor has strengthened its Asia-Pacific leadership team with the appointment of Geet Nazir as managing director for India and Joël Céré as managing director for Southeast Asia, reinforcing its commitment to brand transformation and regional growth.

Based in Mumbai, Nazir has a strong track record of working with brands such as Zydus Lifesciences Limited, Tyger Capital (formerly Adani Capital), PayU, Reliance Jewels, Usha Martin, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and Tata CLiQ.

Before joining Landor, Nazir was the managing director at Conran Design Mumbai under Havas, where she led a team focused on developing design-led brand solutions. Since February 2021, she has worked with clients to navigate the complexities of the Indian market, drawing on Conran’s global design expertise.

Commenting on his appointment, Nazir said, “With an abundance of choices, Indian consumers today are increasingly drawn to brands they trust—ones that resonate with their values and aspirations. I’m thrilled to join Landor at this pivotal moment, where our purpose-driven, customer-centric approach to design and branding fosters progressive brands that not only empower our clients’ business but also create a positive impact on their customers and society as a whole.

Based in Singapore, Céré has co-founded an open-innovation agency and a boutique consulting firm in technology, alongside mentoring start-ups. He has worked with major brands including Unilever, P&G, Mondelēz, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Abbott, AstraZeneca, DBS, Kirin, Sennheiser, Electra, Intel, and City Energy across Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Céré has held key roles in various agencies, including managing global accounts at Aegis, shifting a global crowdsourcing platform from content to innovation, leading Hill & Knowlton’s digital practice across EMEA, and overseeing innovation and strategy at Grey, Bates, and Kantar.

“More than ever, Southeast Asian consumers need strong brands to navigate today’s uncertainty. With its unrivalled mix of creativity, data, and strategy, I’m excited to join Landor at this critical time to help businesses unlock their brands’ potential to drive short-term growth and build long-term value,” Céré commented.

Starting in March 2025, the new appointments are set to enhance Landor’s consulting, design, and experience capabilities across the region.

Christian Schroeder, global president of Landor, shared, “APAC is a critical growth market for Landor, and we are committed to investing in the best talent to serve our clients in the region. The addition of Joël and Geet to our leadership team underscores this commitment. Their extensive experience and proven leadership will be invaluable as we continue to help brands in APAC navigate the evolving market landscape and achieve their business objectives.”

Lulu Raghavan, APAC president of Landor, added, “I am thrilled to welcome Joël and Geet to Landor. Their diverse backgrounds and impressive track records will be instrumental in driving our growth and innovation in APAC. I am particularly excited about partnering closely with them as we focus on expanding our presence and delivering exceptional results for our clients in Southeast Asia and India.”

Australia – Independent media agency Nunn Media is strengthening its strategic and planning capabilities in Sydney by appointing Michelle Miroforidis as head of strategy and Elise Dearden as planning director. 

The new hires come at a time of significant momentum for the agency, following a series of new business wins, including SunRice and Neilson Financial Services, with more soon to be announced.

Miroforidis and Dearden bring deep expertise in this space, further strengthening the agency’s ability to drive meaningful brand connections and business growth for clients.

With integrated experience across communications strategy, media and connections planning, Miroforidis is a seasoned strategist who understands the power of blending paid, owned, earned, and shared channels. Her career includes stints at Australia’s leading strategic agencies, including Naked, UM, Diageo Connect by Publicis, as well as in-house brand and creative agency roles.

Joining in the newly created role of planning director, Dearden brings years of experience across both London and Sydney at OMD, Spark Foundry, and Initiative, leading planning efforts for some of the country’s most recognisable brands, including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and HCF. Her expertise in designing insight-driven and integrated communication strategies will be instrumental in delivering impactful outcomes for clients.

Chris Walton, managing director of Nunn Media Sydney, said, “Since joining us, Michelle and Elise have already begun to make a huge impact with our clients. Their strategic acumen and deep understanding of media dynamics have helped elevate our approach, delivering sharper insights and more effective planning. Beyond that, their energy and leadership have enriched our agency culture. We’re thrilled to have them as part of the team.”

Meanwhile, Miroforidis said, “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Chris, Elise and the team as we usher in a new and exciting era for Nunn.”

Dearden commented, “There’s a lot of momentum at Nunn Media right now, and I’m excited to be joining at such a pivotal time and I’m looking forward to working with a talented team to deliver great results.”

Singapore – Zachary Lim has been appointed as head of IPG Mediabrands Singapore, the media holding company under Interpublic Group. His appointment is effective immediately.

Joining IPG Mediabrands from Wavemaker Singapore, where he served as managing director, Lim is taking on a network role as he leads agencies UM and Initiative.

Lim has over two decades of experience in marketing, media strategy, business development, and agency leadership. Prior to his tenure at Wavemaker, where he spent seven years, he also worked with Maxus Global and Havas Media.

Leigh Terry, chief executive officer of IPG Mediabrands APAC, said, “We are incredibly pleased to welcome Zachary to the IPG Mediabrands family. His proven track record in driving client success and fostering a culture of excellence aligns perfectly with our ambitions for the network. We are confident that Zachary’s energy and leadership of our standout teams here in Singapore will help elevate the operations to new heights.”

Lim commented, “I am honoured to take on a leadership role at IPG Mediabrands Singapore. The network’s commitment to innovation and client-centric approach resonates with my own professional values, and I look forward to collaborating with the talented agency teams here to deliver exceptional results for our clients.”

Australia – VaynerMedia Australia has appointed industry heavyweight Denny Handlin as its new executive creative director, reinforcing the agency’s mission to lead the charge in integrated social-first marketing as it continues its rapid expansion across Australia and the region. 

With a career spanning Clemenger Group, Meta, and TikTok, Denny has led multiple campaigns, built high-performing creative teams, and developed consumer-first strategies that drive real business impact. 

Most recently, as head of global business marketing at TikTok ANZ, he helped shape the platform’s creative direction and spearheaded groundbreaking brand collaborations.

Speaking on his appointment, Denny said, “I couldn’t be more excited for this new chapter at VaynerMedia, partnering with world-class clients to put social at the centre of everything we do. The team here is already known for its innovative, creative thinking, and I can’t wait to get started and push the boundaries of what’s possible in this space.”

He added, “I’ve called TikTok my home for nearly five years, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had there. I’ve worked with an immensely talented team and am proud of what we’ve built together. I truly wish them all the best.”

In his new role, Denny will report to Karen Coleman, country manager for Australia, and Woei Hern Chan, VaynerMedia’s head of creative for the Asia Pacific region.

“Denny brings the best of both worlds — a rare blend of big-agency creative expertise and deep platform experience. We’re in our next phase of growth, evolving beyond just great creative and media to a truly integrated, social-first approach that drives business results. Denny is not only an exceptional creative leader but also a builder of high-performance teams and culture — exactly what we need to shape what’s next,” Karen said.

Australia – E-commerce personalisation platform Bloomreach has announced the continued growth of its global footprint as it expands its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, welcoming Kris Fagan as its new vice president for APAC. 

Kris brings years of enterprise and account experience from mParticle, PagerDuty, and Dropbox in Australia. Kris most recently led a team that drove sales, partnerships and operations and was focused on enhancing customer satisfaction and market presence in APAC.

Speaking on his new role, Kris said, “I’m thrilled to lead our talented team in helping businesses across APAC deliver personalised, AI-driven experiences that truly connect with their customers. As we start the new year, the opportunities ahead of us are tremendous. The APAC region is a beacon of digital innovation and commerce growth, and I am dedicated to sustaining that momentum and ensuring our customers have access to top-tier technology and support to surpass their business objectives.”

As Bloomreach continues to increase its global reach, it underscores its commitment to delivering deeply personalised customer experiences — and driving measurable growth — for businesses worldwide.

With the power of its proprietary LoomiTM AI, Bloomreach already supports leading businesses within the APAC region today. This includes customers such as SM Retail, Bluebell, Repco, Spotlight Retail Group, and MILKRUN, a grocery delivery service owned by Australian grocery chain Woolworths. 

Jamie Gagliardi, head of marketing & growth at MILKRUN, said, “Using Bloomreach, our team can build out the personalised experiences we know will differentiate us to customers and drive results — not only on the app, but across email, SMS, and push. With the help of Bloomreach and our partners, we’re driving forward the future of grocery, one customer and order at a time.”

Singapore – McCann Singapore is excited to announce expansion of its creative team in response to several recent business wins and portfolio growth. The bolstering of the creative department includes the hiring of five talented creatives, each bringing unique skills and experiences to enrich the team’s offerings.

The new hires include Martin Coppola as creative director, Wynn Gray as art director, Seth Low as junior art director, Luna Teo as copywriter, and Jodi Ong as junior copywriter.

A multi award-winning creative originally from Uruguay, Martin joins McCann after an illustrious career at global agencies such as VML, Ogilvy, and Mullen Lowe, and most recently, the LEGO Group in Denmark. Martin’s visionary leadership will be focused on the agency’s regional DHL and Ferrero accounts. 

Meanwhile, Wynn is a multifaceted art director and tattoo artist with a passion for transforming concepts into impactful visuals. With experience working on high-profile brands such as SK-II, The Faceshop, Samsung, and Fairprice, Wynn will be working on Singapore Government business, Ferrero and DHL.

Though McCann is Seth’s first full-time position, he has already made his mark in the creative landscape through internships at Dentsu and Publicis. His early accolades, including recognition in the AKQA Future Lions and the Crowbar Awards while still in school, reflect his potential and creativity. Seth was the creative behind the agency’s recent festive campaigns – “Yapping Paper” for SOSD and “Phone Shui”. 

On the other hand, Luna joins McCann from Goodstuph, where she created compelling copy for clients such as MCCY and UOB. Having previously collaborated with agencies like Havas and Ogilvy, Luna brings a wealth of experience in crafting social-led campaigns and will be working under the agency’s McCann Content Studio offering. 

Lastly, Jodi began her career at Goodstuph, gaining valuable exposure to both art and copy. Her talent was recognised when she won the One Club 2023 All-Star Competition. She will be working with the McCann Content Studios team across both Singapore Government and MNC clients. 

These new hires join Dan Parmenter, who joined the agency back in October as a creative director leading the McCann Content Studio offering, as well as the agency’s ECD, Alfred Wee. 

Additionally, given the importance of Singapore to the region, Valerie Madon, chief creative officer at McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific now adds the title of chief creative officer at McCann Worldgroup Singapore to her remit.  

Speaking about the new appointees, Madon said, “We believe that these significant new hires, will not only enhance our creative offering but also position us for future growth. These colourful talents inject new energy to our team, and their diverse experiences will shape our agency’s future.”

Meanwhile, Nick Handel, President, McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia commented: “This year marks the 50th anniversary of McCann in Singapore. We’re investing in this strategic growth to enhance our ability to deliver innovative solutions and exceptional service to our clients, allowing us to further strengthen our position in the industry.”

Sydney, Australia – Media agency Initiative has announced its new strategy team lineup, a combination of well-earned promotions and new appointments, built with the sole purpose to elevate Initiative’s strategy and product offering for client growth.  The announcement follows the recent appointment of Tom Dodd to the national chief strategy officer role.

Ali Coysh takes on Dodds’ previous role of national head of strategy, Coysh was previously Sydney, Head of Strategy; newly appointed Clare Graham joins the agency as Sydney strategy director bringing a creative mindset to the team; Tom Davies takes on an expanded role adding product to his remit, becoming the newly appointed Sydney head of strategy & product (the role previously held by Coysh); following stints at Mutinex and Thinkerbell, Tate Nalen joins in the role of Melbourne strategy director, working alongside Graham plus Charles Dangibeaud, Perth’s head of strategy.

With an immediate remit to design and lead the next evolution of Initiative’s strategy offering the new national team will focus on prioritising adaptive strategies for its clients leveraging data-driven insights and emerging technologies, including AI.  

Dodd said the establishment of the national strategy team reflects Initiative’s commitment to driving growth and transformation for both the agency and its clients; and he was immensely proud to be working with some of Australia’s brightest minds, reflecting the deep bench of strategic talent across the agency.

“In an era defined by rapid transformation and heightened client expectations, Initiative’s strategy team will push the boundaries of what media can achieve. Our new team will focus on building adaptive, insight-led strategies that harness the power of AI, data intelligence, and cultural fluency to unlock growth for brands,” he said.

Dodd continued, “Since taking on the CSO role I have been wholly focussed on finding the right people to drive the business forward that embody the strong strategic culture we have built as an agency. I’ve known Ali for many years, he is an exceptionally talented thinker & brilliant human to work alongside, so I’m delighted to have him helm of our national strategy offering.”

With an agency career spanning 15 years, Coysh has held senior agency roles in both London and Sydney and is renowned for his leadership and business skills. “Ali’s ability to take a brief and challenge it in the right ways to deliver the best client outcomes, has always been his sweet spot,” said Dodd.  “It’s rare to find a person who truly understands audiences and business problems and how they merge for growth like Ali does; watching his brain start to tick when he’s given a new brief is a lesson for us all…he’s the perfect person to help me lead Initiative’s strategy offering.

Coysh said, “Initiative has always been a strategic powerhouse, known setting up its clients for success. I’m excited to have our team take Initiative into a new era, we have such a wealth of talent across all markets it’s a formidable position to be in. With a strengthened strategy and product offering, and a proposition underpinned by market leading technology, tools and talent we are in a unique position to cement our proposition as the Cultural Experience agency. 

Coysh added, “We are laser focused to help our clients navigate a challenging market, putting media at the forefront to deliver business growth with our distinct brand of strategic creativity. It’s an exciting time to be part of a team with a shared ethos to do things differently.”

Dodd concluded “With a deep understanding of audience behaviour and business challenges, Initiative’s strategy offering is built to future-proof client growth and success—connecting brands to culture in meaningful ways while ensuring measurable business impact. This evolution reinforces Initiative’s reputation as a leader in strategic media thinking, ensuring its clients stay ahead in an increasingly complex and competitive landscape.”

These appointments follow recent new business wins including Netflix and Volvo plus recent contract extensions including Goodman Fielder and Fantastic Furniture.

Singapore – foodpanda in Singapore has recently announced the appointment of Bhavani Shankar Mishra as its new managing director. Formerly the senior director of operations at foodpanda, Bhavani will oversee all aspects of foodpanda Singapore’s operations in his new capacity. 

Moreover, he will lead the company’s commitment to innovation and service excellence, ensuring customers continue to have access to diverse choices and services at competitive prices.

Bhavani holds eight years of regional leadership experience at foodpanda, driving large-scale business transformation across APAC. Since joining in 2018 as part of the logistics team in Thailand, he has played a key role in optimising operations, enhancing customer experience and implementing solutions to improve efficiency. In addition to his tenure at foodpanda, he held prior roles at multinational corporations in tech.

He also held logistics and operations roles in foodpanda since 2018 where he took care of fleet management, warehouse operations, and customer satisfaction in Thailand and various APAC markets. He also has over a decade of experience working in multinational corporations like Amazon and ABB.

With extensive experience leading team teams across all 11 markets, Bhavani is well-positioned to guide foodpanda Singapore’s efforts to enhance customer experience, strengthen support for merchants and delivery partners, and boost industry competitiveness.

Speaking on his new role, Bhavani said, “foodpanda is more than just a delivery platform, it’s a service that is part of everyday life in Singapore. As we navigate changing consumer behaviors, a dynamic market, and evolving technologies, my focus is on enhancing the consumer experience on the platform through greater convenience, accessibility and reliability. I look forward to steering foodpanda’s continued growth and driving exceptional experience for all in our delivery ecosystem.”

Australia – Unified retail media platform Zitcha has appointed experienced retail media sales leader, Jim Kane, as global vice president of sales, as the company accelerates its expansion across key international markets. 

In his new role, Kane will be responsible for defining and executing Zitcha’s global sales strategy, driving revenue growth and expanding the company’s international footprint. He will lead and develop a high-performance sales team, and foster relationships with key retailers, brands, and advertising partners. 

In addition, he will refine the company’s go-to-market strategy, and leverage data analytics and market intelligence to optimise sales performance and drive product innovation.

With an extensive career across shopper marketing, retail media, and adtech, Kane led sales for Walmart’s Sam’s Club division at WPP’s Triad Retail Media, playing a key role in its integration following Walmart’s acquisition. 

He also helped launch the first retail media network in the sporting goods sector at DICK’S Sporting Goods and has advised C-suite executives on retail growth strategies.

Speaking on his new role, Kane said, “Retail media is evolving quickly, and Zitcha is uniquely positioned to support retailers in building networks that have real impact, for themselves and their brand partners. Built from the retailer’s perspective, the Zitcha platform is a game changer for its ability to unify retail media across multiple environments.  I’m looking forward to working with the team to further establish Zitcha as the partner of choice for retailers and brands around the globe.”

Meanwhile, Nick Hinsley, Zitcha’s chief revenue officer, commented “After meeting Jim, the decision to bring him on board was an easy one. His firsthand experience with the internal challenges and relationships within a retailer when considering or scaling a retail media network is invaluable.”

He added, “He has broad and deep knowledge of global retailers – those already operating networks and those looking to fast-follow with their own. Importantly, he is passionate about Zitcha’s platform, its market position, and long-term vision. He will be a trusted advisor for our team and partners, and is an important addition as we continue to grow Zitcha around the world.”

His appointment follows Zitcha’s recent addition of Debra Berman (former Chief Marketing Officer at Yahoo and JCPenney) and Jonathan Waecker (who held senior marketing and global executive roles at Yahoo, The Walt Disney Company, Zynga and most recently at The Warehouse Group, New Zealand’s largest retail group), to senior advisory roles as the company accelerates its global ambitions.