Tag: Leadership

Singapore – Advertising company GREY has announced that Irene Wong, current CEO of GREY Malaysia, and Graham Drew, current chief creative officer at GREY Malaysia, will be taking on full commercial and creative responsibility across the Malaysia and Singapore studios.

GREY Singapore will join GREY Malaysia to become one unit under the new joint leadership structure. After eight years at GREY Singapore and thirty years in the industry, Konstantin Popovic, CEO at GREY Singapore will leave the agency at the end of the year to refocus his career on his deep passion for sustainability.

Wong and Popovic and their respective leadership teams will work closely over the next three months to ensure a seamless transition

As CEO of GREY Malaysia & Singapore and CCO of GREY Malaysia & Singapore, Wong and Drew will have equal responsibility across the two offices, taking full advantage of the greater pool of resources and talent.

A high-profile member of the Malaysian ad scene, Wong previously held posts at Leo Burnett and Naga DDB before coming to Grey. Rising to CEO in 2015, she honed her craft by working on a balance of both local and multinational brands such as Telekom Malaysia, Ministry of Finance, The National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, SEA Games 2017, P&G, Lenovo, Volvo, HSBC, Hong Leong Bank and Coway. Under her stewardship, the business has continued to grow year-on-year, with a healthy and stable mix of local and international clients.

Originally from the UK, Drew arrived at Grey in 2014 and is widely recognised for shaping the creative reputation of the Malaysia studio. As CCO, he has led the team to unparalleled creative success and noteworthy pitch wins, including Carlsberg, Tesco, Telekom Malaysia and WWF. Over the past four years, he has successfully led borderless work across the network for clients such as SK-II, Enfagrow, Hong Kong Tourism Board and multiple projects as global ECD for Carlsberg. Drew is also the chairman of the APAC Creative Council and a member of the Grey Global Creative Board.

Wong said, “This is such an exciting opportunity for us and the teams and a chance for synergy. The truth is every studio has things that they are great and not so great at, being able to fill each other’s gaps and becoming a stronger unit across the board is what this is all about.”

Meanwhile, Drew commented, “One of the better things we learnt over the past few years is that utilising talent shouldn’t be dependent on geography. Exposing the Singapore team to the creative talent of Malaysia and vice versa will be inspirational on all fronts and will be reflected in the work.”

Mumbai, India – The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has elected NS Rajan, director of August One Partners LLP, as its new chairman of the board of governors.

Rajan is a public relations veteran with a demonstrated history of setting up and managing firms in the PR industry. He was earlier the founder and managing director of Ketchum Sampark, an Omnicom Group Company.

In a statement, Rajan said that in his leadership at ASCI, he will focus on thought leadership initiatives, industry reports and its ASCI Academy to take ASCI ahead into the future.

He also looks forward to advancing the agenda of the Council to rapidly increase ASCI awareness among consumers so that they engage more readily and in greater numbers, voicing their concerns, anxieties, and questions about what they experience in the form of thousands of ads per day.

“I would also focus on ASCI’s efforts more towards prevention, in addition to the robust corrective mechanisms we have built over the decades. This we would do by using the several initiatives already in play – whether advice, guidance, training, or self-regulation,” Rajan said.

He added, “The third pillar would be to keep ahead of the fast-expanding and fractionalising digital domain to ensure that responsible advertising principles are followed equally across all media and consumer engagements by advertising in every form. A lot has been done by ASCI over the last several years, and I am committed to seeing that the momentum generated by all past efforts is kept alive or even pushed forward with greater speed.”

Meanwhile, outgoing chairman Subhash Kamath commented, “The past two years have been truly transformational for ASCI. Our vision of making ASCI more future-ready by taking on the challenges of a digital world and a fast-changing communication landscape, and by adding value to the industry through more agility, responsiveness, services, and thought leadership, has started showing results.” 

He added, “I’m sure ASCI will continue to grow from strength to strength in the coming years. It’s been a privilege to serve as its chairman and I thank the board, the CCC members and the wonderful secretariat team for making it possible.”

Hong Kong – To prepare for its APAC growth, independent communications agency Sinclair has announced new leadership appointments. These include Carbo Yu as the new regional executive director and Jessica Man as the new managing director for Hong Kong.

Yu, a seasoned industry professional in APAC, will now be furthering the agency’s integrated service offerings across SEO, content strategy, influencer marketing, research and insights, and creative services, as well as driving business development across the agency’s cross-industry B2B and B2C client base across the offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore.

Meanwhile, Man, a highly sought-after strategic advisor and expert communications consultant, will be leveraging her passion for protecting and growing brand reputation alongside her dedication to nurturing next-generation talent, and will be taking full responsibility for the Hong Kong business’ revenue growth and talent development.

The agency has also elevated Philippa Lui as the new chief financial officer. Lui, an 18-year finance and operations professional, will continue to ensure Sinclair meets the highest ethical standards in cross-border operations and compliance, as well as helping to steer agency growth.

Kiri Sinclair, founder and CEO at Sinclair, said, “Sinclair’s Team First philosophy focuses on growing the careers of our team, and we wish to attract and nurture instinctive leaders, bold thinkers and creative problem-solvers. These are exactly the attributes that Philippa, Carbo and Jessica live by and empower their colleagues to strive for.”

Meanwhile, Stephen Millikin, chief operating officer at Sinclair, noted, “At Sinclair, we champion agency and personal successes equally, and I wholeheartedly congratulate Philippa, Carbo and Jessica on their professional achievements. It means that we are doing something very right, and I look forward to seeing more individuals continue to grow their careers with Sinclair.”

Hong Kong – Media and marketing communications agency PHD has appointed Antony Yiu as its new chief executive officer in Hong Kong, effective immediately. He will lead PHD’s vision, development, operations and talent growth in his new role.

In addition, he will also be responsible for driving digital transformation, addressing data privacy issues and maximising the use of AdTech and MarTech across clients’ businesses. 

With over 20 years of in-depth experience in digital and performance media across the US and APAC, he joins PHD Hong Kong from DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, where he was most recently the senior vice president of digital acquisitions and martech.

He has also a vast background in working with B2B and B2C clients on consumer marketing across various industries, including finance and travel. His experience expands across multifaceted aspects of media, building brands from the ground up and launching new start-up products.

Speaking of his new role, Yiu said, “I am excited to join the PHD family and bring my experience to transform PHD into a next-generation agency. The mission is to lead PHD as an innovative, agile, and result-driven agency, uniting our talents at all levels to deliver thought leadership and award-winning work.” 

He added, “My focus is on driving innovation and business transformation with our clients. Now is the time for PHD to be courageous, be different, and leave our mark in the agency-client ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, James Hawkins, CEO at PHD APAC, commented, “Antony makes the leap over from client to agency, bringing a strong character, a fresh perspective and a bold ambition that will inspire our people and enable growth for our clients. With his diverse skillsets, we are eager to see what the next chapter brings for the Hong Kong office with Antony at the helm.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Digital-first agency Lion & Lion has announced the appointment of Desmond Ho as its new group director of creative and digital experience. In the new role, Ho will lead the agency’s Malaysian creative team while driving innovative digital experiences across the region.

He brings with him 19 years of helming creative projects both in-house, and in agencies. His appointment is part of Lion & Lion’s growth plan to further expand their offerings in the digital space, especially with regards to new technologies and developments in the digital, Web3, and social media landscape.

Prior to joining Lion & Lion, he worked internationally in China as head of digital creative solutions for the smart electric vehicle company AVATR. He also previously served as creative director for 180 China, as the e-commerce creative lead for Apple, Nike, and Estée Lauder at Publicis Commerce, and was creative partner at TianYuKong

Ho will report directly to Cheelip Ong, regional chief creative officer at Lion & Lion.

Speaking on his appointment, Ho said, “My passion is creating unique brand experiences through the combination of insights, technology, and creativity that come together to tell a brand narrative. I am very excited by the strategic, digital, and creative focus of Lion and Lion and having worked under Cheelip’s leadership before, seeing him transform agencies successfully both in China and now with Lion and Lion, I am confident in his vision for growth and am glad to lead new possibilities for clients in Malaysia and the region.”

Meanwhile, Ong commented, “As a creatively-driven, digital-first agency, it is hyper important for us to constantly move the needle forward and meet change where it happens. With the opportunities that are unfolding in the spaces of the Metaverse, Web3, social commerce, and e-Gaming, brands and consumers require new experiences that will engage them. Desmond will help accelerate our creative offerings across all digital frontiers to drive progress for our creatives and our clients.”

Singapore – Oftentimes, we honour the collective genius of marketing and creative agencies against the backdrop of a groundbreaking brand campaign, but this time, we want to dive deeper.

The creative collaboration and process that these creative outfits immerse in is no minute feat, and we want to put the spotlight on the driving force that pushes for their success – the leaders.

There’s leadership and then there’s ‘unique’ leadership; and by this, we mean the agency chiefs that choose to let their ingenuity and out-of-the-box thinking influence the way they lead and empower their teams. 

Called ‘Agency Leadership Decoded’, the series will be inviting the top management of leading creative agencies in APAC to share with us how they are innovating their strategies to keep the morale and engagement of their teams in tip-top shape. 

Through each story, we aim to let leaders reveal their distinct leadership philosophies and share how they are letting their passion and prowess in the creative shapeshift into one-of-a-kind corporate initiatives. 

Learn the interesting insights of the following leaders:

Jiravara shares about how she is helping build within teams the ‘Immunity for change’.

Jacqui lets us in on how they are creating meaningful experiences within the agency that enables them to cast meaningful difference for brands.

Virat talks about the challenge of leaders in creating an environment that is resistance-proof to growth.

Madina discusses how strategic and insight-driven huddles can make a difference in teams’ empowerment.

Thomas shares how the agency is creating success from within in order for the team to live out its mission of ‘creating connected brands.’

Singapore – VJ Anand, current head of creative for VaynerMedia APAC, will be promoted to executive creative director of EMEA. As part of the promotion, Anand will relocate to London to perform his role. The new role takes effect in November this year.

During his previous APAC role, he managed creative teams across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, and India, leading projects for PepsiCo and Prudential.

Speaking on his new appointment, he said, “I will really miss the APAC team, but I leave immensely proud that they are all rocketships and working with some of the world’s best brands. We have such a unique approach to creative and marketing and I am excited to scale it and bring my experience and a fresh perspective from APAC. Here’s to exploring and building original, cutting-edge models of creativity with Daisy and the rest of the team in EMEA.”

Meanwhile, as part of EMEA leadership appointments, current head of client partnership Daisy Domenghini is promoted to the role of managing director for EMEA. During her previous role, she led the addition of Durex, Zalando, and Indeed as clients. Prior to VaynerMedia, Daisy was global client MD at The Engine Group. 

Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, At VaynerMedia, we take great pride in promoting and relocating talent. Since joining last year, Daisy has demonstrated exceptional qualities of being a great leader, truly understanding our integrated model of having creative and media working seamlessly together.” 

He added, “VJ joined VaynerMedia APAC at its inception in 2019 and has helped grow the office to over 250 people strong. I am confident that their partnership will propel our rapidly expanding presence in EMEA.”

London, United Kingdom – Wendy Clark, the current chief executive officer of Dentsu International, is set to leave the company following a global restructuring as mandated by dentsu’s head office in Japan. The restructuring is part of dentsu’s initiative to transition towards a ‘one management team’ system.

In a LinkedIn post, Clark reflected on her time with Dentsu for two years, including a 17% growth in the agency for the first quarter of 2021, and the massive wins of Dentsu Creative Bengaluru for their campaign with Vice.

“Make no mistake, this is progress not perfection. While we lead in certain aspects of our strategy, we have work to do in others and areas we need to improve upon as a company,” she said.

Clark added, “But this performance is ahead of our mid-term management plan and as such the time is right for Dentsu International to integrate into Dentsu Group, led by Hiroshi Igarashi and one management team. As the outgoing DI CEO, I will help Igarashi-san and the DI Exec Team with this transition through the end of this year.”

Clark’s resignation from Dentsu International takes effect on December 31 this year, as well as stepping down from her role as director and executive officer of the company. 

Through the global leadership restructuring, Dentsu Group will have its business operations conducted in four regions—Japan, Americas, EMEA, and APAC. The upcoming “one management team” led by president and CEO Hiroshi Igarashi will comprise a culturally diverse group of leaders with a wealth of knowledge and experience.

In addition, the Dentsu group will globally integrate each of its corporate functions to build a common management platform. On September 15, the group will launch a dedicated integration office to drive a seamless transformation process.

Singapore – Global adtech data solutions company Lotame has announced key elevations to its current leadership team in Asia-Pacific. They include Nishanth Raju, former VP for commercial and strategy, promoted to managing director for Southeast Asia; and Fred Marthoz, former SEA managing director, promoted to VP of global partnerships.

In his new role, Nishant will oversee business operations, forge strategic partnerships, growth and overall performance in the region in addition to increasing Panorama ID (the first global cookieless identity solution for a privacy-first open web) adoption across APAC.

He has over 17 years of experience in SaaS sales, client success, technology and data-driven solutions and consulting. Prior to Lotame, he was at Omnicom Media Group for over six years, where he was part of the founding team of Annalect Singapore. Annalect worked in close collaboration with OMD and PHD to offer technology, data and analytics solutions for regional and global clients across APAC.

Meanwhile, Marthoz is relocating to London, where he will be responsible for managing global deals and work in close collaboration with different regions to execute such opportunities. An industry veteran with over 20 years, Marthoz has been a product and sales leader.

Prior to Lotame, he launched Mocean Mobile in EMEA and served as the company’s Managing Director, EMEA. Earlier in his career, Marthoz held global leadership roles working for a number of big brands as well as emerging startups, including Microsoft, Google, and Playphone, among others.

Marthoz said, “Having worked with him closely in this region, his exposure to different roles and industry verticals has given him a unique perspective on our ecosystem and a better grasp of the bigger industry picture. I wish him all the success for his new role and excited to see him continue to accelerate our business in APAC.”

He added, “Our growth across regions has been substantial and as I take on a new role, I’m very excited to continue Lotame’s journey of developing high-impact solutions for marketers and publishers, together with a dynamic and dedicated team.”

Meanwhile, Chris Hogg, chief revenue officer at Lotame, commented, “With such important global initiatives in the pipeline, having both Nish and Fred at the wheel on our global teams is very exciting. Both leaders have delivered tremendous results in their various roles at Lotame and I look forward to their stewardship and contributions in our next phase of growth.”

Singapore – Annalect, the data and analytics division of Omnicom Media Group, has announced three key APAC appointments, namely Ravikumar Shankar as chief data solutions officer, Nina Fedorczuk as chief enablement officer, and Kothandaram Venkatakrishnan as chief client officer.

Shankar was previously Annalect’s data and technology lead for APAC and has led the network’s data innovation capabilities by combining deep industry knowledge with cutting-edge marketing technology solutions. In his new role, Shankar will continue to play a vital role in shaping clients’ and agencies’ data and marketing technology vision in a continuously evolving privacy landscape.

Meanwhile, Fedorczuk has been a part of the OMG network for 15 years. Throughout her career with OMG, Nina has led the innovation enablement team across EMEA and APAC and played a key role in developing and fortifying OMG Insights and Innovation community in APAC. In the new role, she will be steering the operations and adoption of Omni, the group’s proprietary marketing operating system, to empower teams across the agency network to build first-class marketing solutions for clients.

Lastly, Venkatakrishnan brings nearly two decades of multinational experience in his new role, and was recently the managing director at Annalect in New York, responsible for transforming data and analytics operations for Nissan. Prior to joining OMG, he held global data and analytics leadership roles in Wunderman Thompson across the US and UK.

All three appointees will report directly to Paul Shepherd, chief investment officer and president of Annalect at OMG APAC.

Shepherd said, “As we help our clients navigate a challenging business landscape, data and analytics will be a key differentiator in driving growth, value and transformation for organisations across all industries. The appointments of Ravi, Nina and Kothand underscore our commitment to help our clients leverage data and analytics to make more informed and customer-centric business decisions. The trio’s extensive experiences, skillsets and comprehension of the field is an indispensable advantage for the agency, which translates to invaluable benefits for our clients.”