Tag: Leadership

Singapore – Media and marketing communications agency PHD has appointed Imogen Bourke as its strategy director for Asia-Pacific, where she will be responsible for the continuous development and elevation of the agency’s strategic product and capability roadmap within the region.

Bourke brings with her a blend of skills honed from 16 years of diverse roles across media, technology, and production organisations and expansive international experience having worked in London, Melbourne, and Beijing.

She was previously the head of strategy for PHD Hong Kong, where she was instrumental in supporting the success and growth of the agency – in new business wins, major account retention, and media creativity.

Bourke will also be guiding teams across the region to produce effective brand experiences that deliver business outcomes and positively inspire people, communities, and culture. In addition, she will also be charged with developing industry-first strategies and challenger thinking propositions to future-proof clients’ businesses and drive sustainable growth.

She will be reporting to James Hawkins, CEO of PHD APAC.

Speaking on her appointment, Bourke said, “I could not be more excited by this opportunity to expand my experience and expertise across the APAC markets. It’s a wonderful gig to work closely with the region’s best strategists and planners to champion and grow PHD’s market-leading product, and continue to cultivate a culture of creativity, innovation and collaboration that delivers unparalleled strategic thinking and solutions for our clients.”

Meanwhile, Hawkins commented, “Imogen’s media and strategic expertise paired with her ability to build high-performing teams will help to elevate PHD’s product offerings and drive business results for clients. I am confident in Imogen’s ability to be the driving force in uncovering marketplace opportunities and lead the best strategic planning team in the region.”

Vietnam – Global communications company Havas Group has announced the reestablishment of its fully-owned village operations in Vietnam. It has also appointed Alexandre Sompheng as group CEO and Thanh Bui as managing director.

Earlier this year, Havas ended its partnership with its local affiliate and decided to re-establish its full-service Village offering, as Havas Group Vietnam. Havas Group Vietnam will therefore house the following businesses for the group, namely Havas Creative, Havas Media, Havas Health, RED Havas (PR) and Ekino.

Having been part of Havas for 10 years and previously overseeing the operations for Ekino in Vietnam, the Village’s digital arm, Sompheng’s extended remit as Group CEO will see him responsible for all aspects of the business operations and championing the group’s vision. 

“This is indeed an exciting opportunity to extend our future-forward vision. Our Havas Village model of collaboration and integration is exactly what clients are looking for. Our local and regional teams provide quality service at international standards for our clients, making Havas a force to reckon with in the Vietnamese market as well as in SEA,” Sompheng said.

Meanwhile, with over 15 years of experience working across large client portfolios, Bui will be responsible for leading integrated solutions, strategic client management and new business for the agency. 

“Havas’ Village offering is truly unique and allows us to be innovative, agile to adapting business challenges and create the most meaningful experiences as well as drive growth for our clients. I am extremely excited to be part of the team and looking forward to taking Havas Vietnam to its next phase of growth and expansion,” Bui said.

Meanwhile, Alberto Canteli, CEO and chairman at Havas Group, Nordics CEE & Middle East, SEA & NA, said, “Our success as a network is determined by the strength of our people and leadership. Vietnam is a significantly important and growing market. Alexandre and Thanh have the proven expertise coupled with extremely strong leadership skills to build on what we have within the network and will help to set us up for renewed success.”

Shanghai, China – Brand experience agency Uniplan in China has announced key leadership appointments, led by Sonny Shen, currently managing director of Uniplan Shanghai, adding responsibility as managing director of Uniplan China. In addition, Gordon Wang, currently managing director of Uniplan Beijing, has been appointed as chief growth officer of Uniplan China.

Shen will work with leaders across Beijing and Shanghai offices to lead the transformation and growth of the agency’s China business. Meanwhile, Wang will continue to manage the Beijing office’s client business and lead the agency’s new business development in China. 

Both will report to Christian Zimmermann, chairman and group CEO at Uniplan directly.

Wang said, “I am delighted to take on this new role in this phase of our China transformation. As the China market changes rapidly, the new team enables us to meet the changing requirements of our clients for cross-channel brand experiences along the entire customer journey. We’ll leverage the joint efforts from Beijing and Shanghai offices to achieve sustained growth.”

Meanwhile, Shen said, “We are a well-defined, unified creative network that brings together as many experts, capabilities, and ideas as possible in pursuit of creating exceptional brand experiences. Our clients are increasingly looking for the right strategic partners who can understand the needs of their business to help them deliver sustainable brand growth at scale. I look forward to the new challenge and working with Gordon and Robert to unlock new pathways for success.”

In addition, Robert Paschen has joined Uniplan as executive creative director of Uniplan China to reinforce the creative team and enhance creative effectiveness. He is based in Shanghai and reports to Sonny Shen.

“I’m excited to be joining Uniplan. The post-pandemic landscape in China presents greater opportunities for us to enhance our creative capabilities and create more integrated and inspiring brand experiences, delivered in the most engaging and impactful ways. I’m also looking forward to collaborating with this talented team and creating meaningful work that truly memorable moments for audiences across China,” Paschen said.

Speaking about the appointments, Zimmerman said, “I’m very grateful to have Sonny and Gordon stepping up and take on the new roles, and welcome Robert to join our family. The new structure will form a new One China Team with an even higher integrated service portfolio and a broader consulting offering to further drive innovation. We are confident that under the leadership with Sonny and Gordon, the new team will drive the next chapter of our growth and transformation journey and unlock the tremendous opportunities emerging in the fast-evolving Chinese market.”

Auckland, New Zealand – DDB Aotearoa has welcomed two new members to its strategy team, namely Charlotte Marks and Laura Davies as joint heads of planning. 

Both experienced strategists, Davies and Marks say they are excited to be working together to help take DDB’s planning team to new heights. 

Previously the strategy director at DDB Aotearoa, Marks joined the team two years ago and immediately made an impact, delivering strong results across a vast client portfolio.

Speaking on her appointment, she said, “DDB has a special knack for developing both longstanding, emotive brand campaigns and timely, innovative creative solutions. The planning team play an important role in the process, identifying powerful insights that go on to strike a chord with New Zealanders and produce a positive outcome for our clients. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Laura and Rupe to strengthen and grow DDB’s planning team.”

Meanwhile, Davies was previously the strategy director at Saatchi & Saatchi, and she brings in over a decade of experience working across telecommunications, government, FMCG and retail in both New Zealand and abroad. 

“Rupert and Charlotte are both brilliant strategic minds but also genuinely wonderful people. When Rupert reached out, I was only weeks away from having my daughter and while many agencies would have ended discussions there, Rupert and the team at DDB didn’t even blink. They have waited patiently for me to finish my maternity leave and their flexi policies have made it so easy for me to step into this role as a new mum – it’s wonderful to finally be here,” Davies said.

DDB Aotearoa Chief Strategy Officer Rupert Price said, “Charlotte has proven herself to be an incredible strategic mind and her promotion is well-deserved. I’m looking forward to working with Charlotte in running the Planning team and ensuring our strategic product continues to go from strength to strength.”

He added, “Charlotte and Laura are already proving themselves to be a formidable double act and I’m excited to see what we do together as we continue to build New Zealand’s biggest and best agency strategy team.”

Singapore – IPG Mediabrands’ global performance marketing agency Reprise has announced new regional executive roles in Asia-Pacific, namely Parul Gautam as head of analytics for APAC, Caitlin Draper-Wheeler as experience director for APAC, and Sid Mehta as head of performance for media in APAC.

Gautam and Draper-Wheeler’s appointments take effect immediately, while Mehta’s appointment takes effect on 1 August this year.

In her new role, Gautam will be responsible for collaborating with Mediabrands agency partners and local market leadership to set the standard for excellence, driving growth in analytics across the APAC region. He was previously the vice president for Interactive Avenues India, a Reprise network company, where she developed the analytics function to lead more than 35 Global and Indian clients.

Meanwhile, Draper-Wheeler will drive the strategic direction for SEO and CRO crafts in the region to develop compelling solutions which inspire existing and prospective clients and deliver transformative growth. She joins from Stanley St, where she served SEO and CRO director. She also brings in more than 8 years industry experience including management positions across iProspect, Digital Hothouse and PHD.

Lastly, Mehta joins from his former position as head of paid media at NP Digital. He brings in 10 years industry experience specialising in digital marketing, having spent around 7 years leading search social and digital at Resolution Digital.

All appointees will report to Pippa Berlocher, president at Reprise APAC.

She said, “I am delighted to see our vision and ambition for Reprise APAC being realised. [We] have continued growing that traction and momentum through the key craft areas of our business – testament to the appointment of these three new leadership roles.” 

Berlocher added, “We identified expert talent from both within our Mediabrands network family and the wider industry, equipped with the ability to anticipate the pace of change by harnessing the skills and structure required to propel our clients business forward.”

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – WPP’s media services company Mindshare has announced new leadership appointments namely Shankar Rajagopal as chief client officer for APAC; Ashish Thukral as managing director at Mindshare and m/SIX Vietnam; and Preeti Mascarenhas as head of strategy and product for APAC.

Rajagopal was previously the CEO of Mindshare and m/SIX Vietnam, and a media veteran with two decades of experience leading client accounts from Unilever to L’Oréal and HSBC, as well as helming business divisions in India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.

Commenting on his appointment, he said, “I am looking forward to my new role – the fourth within Mindshare – where I will focus on driving the business transformation agenda for our clients in the region. I am excited to lead the Mindshare Asia-Pacific Client Leader community and will partner our account leads to continue nurturing our client relationships as well as ensure seamless integration and sharing of best practices across all markets to ultimately benefit our clients.”

Meanwhile, Thukral brings with him extensive brand-side experience from Standard Chartered and Diageo. He has also led agency client accounts including Levi’s, Nike, Lenovo, Nestle, GSK; and was most recently, the Managing Partner for Unilever, leading the global strategy and content for Mindshare’s long-term client. 

Lastly, Mascarenhas has returned to Mindshare where she previously spent eight years as the GSK APAC lead, handling numerous client accounts and winning new businesses across the CPG, FMCG, fintech and edutech sectors.

Rajagopal will be reporting to Helen McRae, CEO of Mindshare APAC, while Thukral will report to McRae as well and to Himanshu Shekhar, CEO of GroupM Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. Mascarenhas, meanwhile, will report to Rohan Lightfoot, chief growth officer of Mindshare APAC.

Speaking on the new appointments, McRae said, “Shankar, Ashish and Preeti boast excellent track records driving Good Growth and award-winning innovation across APAC. These are some of our brightest talents whose intimate knowledge of the region and deep domain expertise set them apart as forerunners in the ad tech industry. I’m confident they will continue to deliver exemplary work for our clients in their new roles.”

Sepang, Malaysia – AirAsia X, the medium to long-haul affiliate airline of AirAsia Aviation Group, has announced the resignation of Rafidah Aziz from her leadership position as chairman of AirAsia X.

Aziz was appointed as an independent non-executive director and chairman of the board on 3 March 2011, and was re-designated as a senior independent non-executive chairman upon listing of the company on 10 July 2013. 

Speaking on her resignation, she said, “I will be 79 this year and will have served the term allowed as an Independent Director. I would then need to comply with the change in status from Independent to non independent Board member and the other ensuing requirements. I have therefore decided to resign from my position as chairman of AAX and this will take effect from 1 July.” 

She added, “I feel AAX should appoint new people to the board to take the company forward especially after the restructuring exercise. It has been a very good experience for me, having developed so many friendships with the Allstars at all levels, which I will always cherish.”

Meanwhile, Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and founder of AAX commented, “Tan Sri Rafidah has always been much more than a Chairman. As an incredible trailblazer in so many ways, she was a rock and my backbone during the ups and downs of AirAsia and importantly, a friend and mentor for my own personal life. She was always there to give support and did not hold back in sharing her sharp insights.” 

He added, “While she is retiring, Rafidah will always be very much a part of the AirAsia family and her leadership will continue to inspire all of us. I’m sure we will continue to seek wisdom and guidance from her as we head into our next chapter.”

Singapore – Global technology company Cisco has announced a reshuffle of its marketing leadership team in Asia-Pacific, Japan, and China (APJC).

Effective immediately, Mark Phibbs, Cisco’s former vice president of global marketing insights and analytics and for the Asia Pacific, Japan, and China (APJC) region is being promoted to a new and expanded global role as vice president for campaigns, content, and industries, to drive Cisco’s overall global marketing transformation.

Replacing him is Joyce Moy who takes the role of senior director for APJC marketing, a veteran at Cisco with close to two decades of experience in driving innovation and business impact in the region, and was formerly the senior director for strategy, planning & operations and segment, customer advocacy and partner marketing for APJC.

Mark has played a pivotal role in building a world-class marketing team and in driving strategic campaigns that redefined customer centricity and business growth for Cisco. Mark has been a champion of innovative, data driven marketing and revenue impact from marketing activities.

Meanwhile, Moy has been with Cisco for more than 15 years and has held multiple leadership roles.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – FCB SHOUT, a Malaysian-based creative agency and part of the global FCB advertising network, has announced the appointment of five new senior hires to bolster its brand management team.

FCB SHOUT’s General Manager, Syahriza Badron, said, “The growth we’ve seen in 2021 has continued over to this year. And with our new hires, we are in a stronger position than ever to keep delivering top-flight work for both our current and newly acquired clients, while also ensuring the capacity for even more new growth opportunities.” 

Timothy Teh joined the team as Brand Director, bringing over 15 years of expertise from a number of global agencies to the table with him. Having previously worked on brands such as AmBank, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Audi, Proton, Samsung, 100Plus, Strongbow and Apple Fox, Teh also had stints on the client side. He was Brand Manager at Big Bad Wolf Books as well as the Brand Lead for the book retailer’s Thailand, UAE and Myanmar markets, and was most recently Brand Manager at Spritzer, a Malaysian mineral water brand, before joining FCB SHOUT.

Syahriza shared, “Tim’s expertise with client organisations and his exposure to regional markets will provide invaluable insights as we continue ramp up our cross-border business. His experience with financial brands will make him a key asset for our finance and banking portfolio.”

The second Brand Director to join FCB SHOUT, Chin Yee Wen has been in the creative industry for over a decade, working on diverse client portfolios such as BenQ, PPB, Harta Bina, 50 Megumi and many other Malaysian brands. 

“Yee Wen’s strongest point is her competence in a multitude of categories; she is our jack of all trades. Her experience with independent agencies is completely in line with our #NoPlanB spirit where we are hands-on, full-on and always-on.” Syahriza said.

Meanwhile, Kevin Choong will come on board as the communications planning director. Choong has 16 years of experience in advertising as well as digital and retail marketing with brands like Nestle, Samsung and Novartis in Malaysia, and AIA, Total Oil and Vinci airports in Cambodia. 

Syahriza commented, “Kevin will work closely with me to bring our strategies to life via our integrated communications planning framework, ensuring that we continue to deliver effective solutions within an increasingly fragmented media landscape.”

Also joining FCB SHOUT as Associate Brand Directors are Kong Pooi Ling and Melanie Mustapha. Both have over 10 years of advertising experience and, according to Syahriza, will play key roles on key accounts. “Mel and Pooi Ling add further depth to our already significant FMCG experience and, just as importantly, bring a youthful energy to our team with them,” said Syahriza.

All five appointees will report directly to Syahriza.

Sydney, Australia – Independent creative agency, The Core Agency has appointed Rebecca Turner to the newly created role of managing partner as well as taking a financial interest in the business as it scales for future growth. As managing partner, she will be responsible for driving agency growth and managing all commercial elements of the business, in addition to overseeing client service, people and operations.

Turner worked at the independent Sydney creative agency for almost ten years, most recently as business director and now joins founding partners Christian Finucane and Jon Skinner with an ownership stake.

Turner said, “Business ownership has long been a goal of mine. Having spent the better part of a decade at The Core Agency, it’s a dream come true to be invited to go into partnership with two of my long-time friends and mentors.” 

“The Core Agency has given me such a broad and rewarding career, I’m excited to be able to offer those learnings to others and continue to build an incredible business for our clients. As a female leader, I’m particularly passionate about furthering gender equality and using this new role to champion diversity and inclusion in everything we do,” Turner added.

The Core Agency was started 14 years ago and has built a reputation for delivering big brand thinking with service levels only owner-operator agencies can deliver. Its clients include IGA Supermarkets, QBE Insurance, Elders Insurance, PwC, Just Better Care, Quest Apartment Hotels and Doctors on Demand.

Christian Finucane, founder at The Core Agency, shared that with two creative founders, The Core Agency has always been a creative-led business. However, they recognise the important role people like Bec play in making great ideas happen. 

“We’ve been looking for the right third partner who can represent this vital pillar of the business, complement the skills we have, and bring a new perspective to our ever-evolving industry. Bec was the clear choice across all points. It has been fantastic to see her grow in the business while she has helped the agency grow,” Finucane said. 

Finucane further said, “She has an incredible ability to determine big-picture thinking while also minding the important details for our clients. She is a champion of the agency culture and always has time for the next wave of talent coming through the business.”

Meanwhile, Jon Skinner, founder at The Core Agency, commented, “This significant appointment is key to our growth plans as we scale and help more brands overachieve. Clients all tell us the same thing – they’re after big brand experience combined with the level of service that only owner-operated agencies can offer. This is exactly what our business model, driven by our new leadership team, can now take to the next level.

Skinner continued, “Australia is fueled by ambitious mid-tier brands that are restless for growth. We want to show them they have a natural home with The Core Agency, where they’ll receive the number one treatment without compromising on big brand thinking. Every great brand needs a core idea and core team, so our next chapter will deliver that for more clients who share our ambition to punch above.”