Tag: Managing Director

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Tan Ming Luk, most recently the chief commercial officer at Touch ‘n Go Group, has been named the new managing director of foodpanda Malaysia, which took effect on October 21.

With over a decade of leadership experience in commercial and operational roles across Singapore and Malaysia, he brings with him a wealth of industry knowledge, deep understanding of local markets and consumers, and a proven track record for driving business growth.

During his time at Touch ‘n Go, he oversaw the company’s top line revenue and spearheaded new growth opportunities. Prior to that, he served as the chief of staff and head of LazMall strategy and operations at Lazada and also served as its beauty category battle lead. He was also the previous country head for Malaysia and Singapore at OYO.

Speaking on his new role, he said, “I’m excited to join the company and be part of a platform that has a positive impact on the communities we serve, particularly in the growing gig economy. I look forward to working with the talented teams at foodpanda to deliver value to our customers, partners and the wider ecosystem, while staying true to the company’s mission of empowering local businesses and riders.”

Australia – FreeWheel, a Comcast company, has announced the appointment of Tess O’Brien as its managing director for ANZ. As part of her new role, O’Brien will work to connect FreeWheel, the global technology platform for the television advertising industry, with both buyers and sellers in Australia via FreeWheel’s streaming advertising technology.

She will be located in her hometown of Sydney after spending eight years in FreeWheel’s head office in New York, in both product and commercial leadership roles. Most recently she led FreeWheel’s buy-side business in North America, and was instrumental in the launch of a number of product innovations; including FreeWheel’s programmatic marketplace, identity and measurement solutions, and linear addressable capabilities.

Before her time at FreeWheel, she held various commercial and corporate strategy roles, including at Foxtel Media (formerly Multi Channel Network) in Australia.

Speaking on her appointment, she said, “I’m thrilled to return to Australia, during a period of immense change in the TV industry. Data and technology are fueling new ways to transact media and we are excited to bring our wealth of streaming expertise and market-leading technology to power new partnerships in this region. FreeWheel is the trusted platform powering the global television ecosystem because of our commitment to directly connect buyers & sellers while enabling advertising solutions that complement the premium viewer experience.”

Meanwhile, Thomas Bremond, SVP & CRO International at FreeWheel commented, “APAC is a key expansion area for us and Tess’s appointment demonstrates our continued commitment towards the region. Tess’s experience with global streaming platforms, programmatic and understanding of the Australian advertising ecosystem uniquely positions her to be a leader in the Australian market. We recognize the increasing need for global programmatic advertising solutions, and we’re delighted to support our clients and the entire premium video ecosystem in the region.”

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. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Daler Kendzhaev, most recently the head of Annalect Malaysia, has been promoted to managing director for investment and specialist solutions at Omnicom Media Group (OMG) Malaysia. In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Kendzhaev said the new role will see him work with partners and vendors on the investment and partnerships front and manage OMG’s specialist solutions – Annalect, TransAct, and Digital Performance.

Kendzhaev’s newly created role comes as OMG believes it can unlock better solutions for clients through centring the capabilities of investment partnership, specialist solutions, and data under one leadership. 

He added that the role is about continuing the momentum OMG has already built by enhancing the agency network’s current relationship with partners through a connected and collaborative strategy, with a singular focus on delivering holistic and innovative products. This will be done while continuing in the area of future-facing data and tech solutions.

As OMG has great ambitions to drive momentum for clients and partners, Kendzhaev said the goal for the next six to 12 months is to improve the synergy between the investment and partnership teams and to meet clients’ needs in the rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.

“At Omnicom Media Group, we are poised to take an active role in developing and delivering the incremental value to our clients through these investment solutions, and also advancing our performance value for our clients,” he added.

Kendzhaev spent nearly four years as head of Annalect Malaysia during which he oversaw the increased adoption of Omni, Omnicom’s industry-leading marketing orchestration and insights platform, across OMG Malaysia and its agency brands. 

Under his leadership, Annalect was hungry for growth and adopted a first-mover mindset. “We treated Annalect in Malaysia like a start-up within a large organisation. We had great support from our regional teams that allowed us to achieve really great results in various areas within the group,” Kendzhaev explained.

Some of the initiatives Annalect have worked on include solutions around data automation and visualisation, as well as consulting and enabling marketing tech for brands. OMG also obtained Google Analytics (GA) partner status in Malaysia with certified specialist team to assist clients in their GA4 migration journey.

Understanding industry challenges and opportunities in media investments

When asked about the challenges and opportunities in the media investment space, Kendzhaev said one thing that stands out is the complexity of the measurement metrics in the industry today, which leads to other growth areas.

“In Malaysia, we don’t really have an aligned way of measuring media investments both in the offline world with different methodologies for mediums like TV, especially when it comes to the return on investment. Moreover, there is also a complete lack of measurement in digital, which leads to lot of dysfunctions in decision-making for advertisers,” he explained.

He added, “The upcoming changes in the digital ecosystem without [third-party] cookies is going to add complexity when it comes to digital measurement. Marketers and businesses, are urged to focus on understanding the true impact of media investments on brand equity, sales or other business metrics that are important.”

OMG believes that the cookieless future is one part of where the industry is headed in a privacy-first world. Effective advertising is powered by a variety of signals, with traditional signals like cookies being one of them. With traditional signals deprecating soon due to high privacy concerns, the industry needs to consider new developments like Google PAIR and The Trade Desk’s Unified ID 2.0.

“Let’s take advantage of it. With this connected role, we can move at a faster pace with our clients,” Kendzhaev added.

He also noted that industry collaboration would be ideal in forming strategies and ideas and getting consensus in measurement approach. Nonetheless, OMG has been working on different solutions surrounding connected measurement, future signals, and the digital ecosystem. 

“[These solutions] focus on solving measurement issues for various levels such as strategic management decisions down to the day-to-day operational tactics as well. That’s one of the key elements we are focused on in our business” he said.

Considering yet another delay from Google on phasing out third-party cookies, Kendzhaev explained that the whole idea behind the deprecation is to have a privacy-safe environment for advertising and not solely rely on traditional signals like third-party cookies. Given the news, he said marketers should continue progressing towards a privacy-centric approach to advertising.

“We are taking a comprehensive approach, which has been ongoing for a couple of years. Our approach starts with an audit, understanding where the clients are and the goals, they would like to achieve leveraging marketing tech. With that audit, we recommend solutions that are bespoke to the brand, that go across different elements: starting from having the right measurement framework in place, data collection and storage in the privacy-compliant way, to derive insights and improve consumer relationship,” Kendzhaev explained.

This ties in with building a privacy-safe environment and creating a unified view of the customer through UIDs. “Some of the clients that we work with have already started this journey. The delay also means advertisers have additional time to prepare for the change” he added.

T-shaped skill sets and optimism about the future

Talent is another key area Kendzhaev believes is crucial to the industry’s growth and it is important to have T-shaped skillsets in data and tech. “You want to understand how media works so you can bring value to what we do on a day-to-day basis and create solutions that will be more relevant to businesses today. Whether it’s the brands or advertisers or agencies or even vendors, we need to pay attention and invest more in terms of the talent, as well as upskilling them in understanding of what’s happening in the ecosystem that’s going to be critical,” he explained. 

Despite all these challenges, he remains optimistic about the ever-changing media landscape.

“At OMG, we are constantly on the lookout for new partnerships driving that unique proposition and incremental value for our clients. Everything that we do within our partnerships has always had elements of how we can create unique value for our clients and that’s something that we’ve been central to our approach,” he concluded.

Jakarta, Indonesia – Global integrated communications firm, Edelman appointed Nia Pratiwi as managing director for its operations in Indonesia, poised to partner with the firm’s clients to navigate and enhance their organisational and brand reputations in today’s increasingly complex environment, signifying a strategic step towards growth and expansion. 

Pratiwi is a seasoned industry specialist with over 20 years of experience in corporate communications, public affairs, and government relations. Having held leadership positions at renowned firms such as Burson Cohn & Wolfe, Burson Marsteller, Fleishmann Hillard, and Pfizer, she will now steer Edelman Indonesia’s next stage of strategic business growth in the rapidly growing, vibrant socio-economic climate of Indonesia.

Commenting on the appointment Warren Fernandez, CEO, Edelman APAC, said, “Indonesia’s economic growth story continues to draw interest around the world and remains core to Edelman’s growth for the region. We are excited about the many inspiring Asian hero business stories coming out of Indonesia.”

Speaking on her own appointment Pratiwi commented, “I am truly excited to be a part of Edelman Indonesia,” she stated. “With the group’s industry-leading position, Edelman is well-positioned to provide clients with exceptional results and continue to stay ahead of the industry.”

In her remarks she commended Edelman’s consecutive wins of the Campaign ‘PR Agency of the Year’ award for three years, underscoring the team’s dedication to excellence.“I’m amazed at how the firm continues to retain its Campaign ‘PR Agency of the Year’ title now three years in a row, a true testament to the team’s determination and resolve to be the best-in-class.

Edelman is credited for over two decades of industry leading research on public trust in societal institutions with the Edelman Trust Barometer Pratiwi’s appointment is effective immediately, signalling Edelman’s commitment to strengthening its presence and capabilities in Indonesia’s vibrant market.

Singapore – Tilt, a through-the-line and digital marketing agency based in Singapore, has announced the appointment of Madina Kalyayeva as its new managing director and partner as the agency aims to evolve into a regional creative powerhouse, poised to deliver innovative solutions to clients across diverse industries.

Part of the plans involved in Kalyayeva’s appointment would be the establishment of a dedicated social media and content production arm for the agency. In a press statement, Tilt shared that this strategic move aims to provide both existing and new clients with a holistic set of offerings, eliminating the need to tap into external partners for these services. 

MARKETECH APAC recently caught up exclusively with Madina Kalyayeva to learn more about this move and hear her insights on the outlook of the digital marketing industry in Southeast Asia.

Embodying an ethos on innovation, agility, and client-centricity

When asked about this expanded service lineup, Kalyayeva believes that this new service will help provide Tilt’s clients with unparalleled support in navigating the evolving digital marketing landscape.

“Tilt is committed to building long-term relationships with our clients, offering consistent support and deeper partnerships. These new offerings will enable us to produce high-quality content quickly, optimising it for maximum impact. Social media, in particular, plays a crucial role in today’s digital landscape, and our dedicated arm will ensure that our clients have access to top-tier social media strategies and content production,” she told MARKETECH APAC.

She also added, “Having successfully set up an SM department & lead social media initiatives at M&C Saatchi, including regional clients like DFI and Epson, I understand the importance of social content in driving brand visibility and engagement.”

Prior to joining Tilt, Kalyayeva was previously the managing director of M&C Saatchi Singapore for almost two years. She also had experience working with agencies such as R.S.V.P., Indochie Media, GREY Singapore, amongst others.

During her time at M&C Saatchi, she played a pivotal role in acquiring clients such as Epson SEA, WWF Singapore, Maybank, and SMU. Her strategic vision and leadership have significantly contributed to expanding the agency’s offerings to social content production and PR and furthering relationships with existing clients.

By embodying the agency’s ethos on innovation, client-centricity, and agility; Kalyayeva believes that the agency is capable of harnessing the power of creativity and technology to drive meaningful impact for their clients and respective audiences, setting the standard for excellence in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing and media solutions.

“We are committed to pushing creative boundaries, adapting swiftly to industry changes, and placing our clients’ needs at the forefront of everything we do. Our approach is rooted in collaboration, transparency, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, ensuring that we consistently deliver exceptional results and build enduring partnerships,” she stated.

What digital marketing trends, challenges, opportunities await SEA marketers this 2024

When asked of the key digital marketing trends that await marketers in SEA this year, Kalyayve shared that it would be artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality, adding that it will aid in aiding innovation for digital marketing strategies by brands.

“While AI garnered significant attention in 2023, its true impact is yet to be fully realised. However, it has sparked conversations around its potential to streamline processes and enhance creative output. At Tilt, we’re excited about the possibilities AI presents and are integrating various AI solutions into our operations,” she said.

She added, “Today we have a headset & a power-bank, what will be interesting is when that will all be packed into lenses we can all wear – what we see today (AR sets) is not what we’ll see in the near future AR offers immersive and interactive experiences, providing agencies and brands they are servicing with unique opportunities to engage their audiences in novel ways.”

However, Kalyayeva expressed that a key challenge now for digita marketers this year is how they can adopt to these rapidly changing consumer behaviours while also operating on limited marketing budgets.

“In 2024, brands in Southeast Asia will encounter a myriad of digital marketing challenges and opportunities. As consumers adjust to the constantly evolving nature of the Internet, the pressure is on for brands to transform their strategies to keep pace. Tighter budgets, changing consumer behaviour, and the need to navigate cultural and linguistic diversity pose significant challenges. Moreover, with last-minute budget releases becoming more common, marketers are faced with shorter planning cycles and smaller budgets released in spurts,” she explained.

She added, “This dynamic landscape demands agility from both marketers and their partner agencies. At Tilt, we understand the importance of agility and stand ready to assist our clients, even with last-minute opportunities. By leveraging our dedicated social media and content production arms, we can produce high-quality, bite-sized content quickly to accommodate the fast-paced nature of digital marketing in Southeast Asia.”

Co-owners William Chan, CEO of HM Too in Hong Kong; and Stuart Helmore, Tilt’s CEO, expressed their excitement about Madina’s appointment, sharing, “We are delighted to welcome Madina to the Tilt family. Her extensive experience and proven track record in the industry align perfectly with our vision for Tilt’s future. We are confident that Madina’s leadership will not only contribute significantly to Tilt’s success but will also enhance the overall synergy within the HM family.”

The move also comes as Tilt continues its trajectory of growth following the acquisition by HM Too and Agile Media in October 2021, cementing its position as a leading creative force in the South East Asian region.

Jakarta, Indonesia – SCOP3 Group has announced the appointment of Mike Forster as its new managing director, following the company’s recent acquisition of clients in Indonesia

Mike Forster brings a wealth of experience and an impressive track record in his role at SCOP3 Group. Before joining the agency, Forster played a pivotal role in launching ShopEx for M&C Saatchi Indonesia, showcasing his innovative approach to brand activation and commerce marketing.

With a distinguished career spanning over 19 years, Forster has held various leadership positions within WPP agencies, demonstrating his expertise in brand building and fostering client relationships. 

Notably, he spent 12 years in the APAC markets, contributing to the growth and success of the region. Forster’s career has taken him across the globe, with significant roles in the UK, Netherlands, Russia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Korea. 

Throughout his career, he has also worked with renowned brands such as Chanel, Dunhill, Diageo, Google, and Porsche. His extensive experience in diverse markets and industries positions him as a strategic leader capable of driving SCOP3 Group’s continued success in the dynamic world of public relations. 

Speaking on his new role, he said, “I am thrilled to be a part of the SCOP3 Group family during this exciting phase of growth. Together, we aim to elevate SCOP3 Group’s standing in the industry and introduce innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of our esteemed clients in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific region.” 

Meanwhile, Rene Mayer, co-founder and CEO at SCOP3 Group, commented, “SCOP3 Group has always been committed to pushing boundaries and achieving excellence. With our recent partnerships and the addition of Mike Forster as our managing director, we are confident in our ability to expand our service offerings, particularly in branding and digital marketing. This marks a significant step forward in our aspiration to provide comprehensive and cutting-edge solutions to our esteemed clients in Indonesia and the broader APAC region.”

SCOP3 Group has further strengthened its leadership in the industry by securing the representation of AYANA Hospitality. Moreover, its recent accomplishments go beyond its collaboration with Pan Pacific Hotels Group, where it manages global PR activities for Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts, PARKROYAL Collection Hotels & Resorts, and PARKROYAL Hotels & Resorts. Additionally, it also oversees the launch of Pan Pacific Hotels Group in Jakarta, located in the prestigious Thamrin Nine Complex.

Melbourne, Australia – CommerceHub has announced its appointment of Gordana Redzovski as managing director for the Asia Pacific region to lead the company’s plans of expansion.

With a specific focus on the Asia Pacific region, Redzovski will be employing her expertise to provide strategic guidance and direction in support of the company’s expansion plans. 

Based in Australia, she brings 15 years of experience in high-growth industries. Most recently, Redzovski was VP retail APAC at Lightspeed Commerce where she successfully developed new revenue streams during the pandemic, launched Lightspeed Payments in Australia and led the integration of Vend and Lightspeed Commerce retail teams in APAC. She has also served in senior leadership roles at Deliveroo, Catch.com and iSentia.

Speaking on her appointment, Redzovski said, “I’m thrilled to join the talented, flagship team at CommerceHub during this exciting period of transition and growth. Retailers and brands in APAC continue to seek out innovative partners to support their focus on enhancing the customer experience, and indeed business outcomes, through utilising a unified omnichannel approach.”

Meanwhile, Pete Elmgren, CRO at CommerceHub, commented, “As someone who is known for her ability to engage stakeholders and deliver outstanding results by making data-driven decisions and galvanising teams, Gordana is an outstanding choice to lead APAC. She’s a seasoned executive who is passionate about driving operational efficiency and helping customers experience profitable growth.”

Singapore – Independent creative agency GOVT Group has officially launched MINISTRY, a hybrid consulting and agency model, and has appointed Kelvin Koo as its new managing director and partner.

MINISTRY is a digital consultancy dedicated to driving digital growth and transformation tailored to the contemporary needs of business owners and marketing leaders.

The newly launched agency will focus its offerings on ensuring growth for its clients. It is committed to a holistic approach to digital growth and transformation, providing strategic consulting and execution across diverse domains, including social and content, UI/UX, tech, digital media, CRM, and data analytics.

And to lead the MINISTRY, GOVT has brought in Koo as its managing director and partner, who was back in the agency world after a brief hiatus.

Earlier this year, Koo joined GOVT as a consultant, contributing to the agency’s strategic efforts to bolster its digital capabilities. This collaboration has culminated in the assembly of a robust team of specialists adept at delivering comprehensive digital marketing solutions, including data analytics, digital product planning, and expert consultation for seamless digital ecosystem integration and implementation.

His decision to return was sparked by the compelling vision and ambition of the partners at GOVT Group and the unique opportunity to construct an agency model with a distinctive culture.

Koo’s wealth of experience comes from his previous roles, serving as CEO at FALCON Agency and managing director at ADK Connect.

MINISTRY will leverage Koo’s extensive expertise as it aims to integrate strategic advisory and data with creative storytelling, design, tech, and digital performance to deliver tangible, impactful results.

Together with Koo, GOVT also appointed Foong Min Mei as the new growth director and partner at MINISTRY. Prior to her appointment, she worked as a digital and social lead at GOVT Singapore.

Leon Lai, co-founder and CEO at GOVT Group, said, “Our vision has stayed the same since Day 1: create a company that has longevity, possesses ambition, and champions foolish bravery. It has been 11 years since we started this journey, but we’re still not done or content with what we have built. As a partner-led business, we’re excited to attract someone of Kelvin’s calibre onboard this journey as we take deliberate steps towards fulfilling our mission of being a leading Asian communications company.” 

Also commenting on the appointment, Alvina Seah, group managing director at GOVT Group, said, “Kelvin’s leadership and proven track record in building agencies and delivering results-driven digital solutions to clients make him the ideal figure to spearhead MINISTRY. His commitment to growth and culture aligns perfectly with our mission, making this collaboration strategic and synergistic.” 

Meanwhile, Koo commented, “Our game plan at MINISTRY is straightforward: marry sharp strategic advice with creativity, the latest tech, and strong digital know-how. This way, we can get into the nitty-gritty of what CMOs and business owners are up against and offer them insights and solutions that hit the mark.”

India – Snap Inc., a technology and social media company, has announced the appointment of Pulkit Trivedi as its new managing director to handle the company’s operations in India. 

In his new role, Trivedi will report directly to Ajit Mohan, APAC president at Snap Inc. He will be responsible for leading the organisation’s Indian operations, including driving revenue, supporting partners, and nurturing the creator ecosystem. 

Meanwhile, under the new operational structure, the growth, market development, partnerships, content, and creator ecosystem teams will report directly to Trivedi. 

This new, highly localised structure reinforces Snap’s commitment to India to further build unique experiences for the company’s growing user community.

Trivedi brings with him over 23 years of experience working for top technology companies like Meta and Google in India. 

Prior to his new appointment, Trivedi served as the director of Google Pay’s India business team. He spent the past five years as part of the leadership team,  where he was responsible for building strategic plans for the business, forging key partnerships, and leading the monetisation agenda for Google Pay in India. 

Ajit Mohan said, “Pulkit’s deep expertise in building and scaling businesses and finding ways to drive outsized growth for partners will enable us to continue delighting our surging community of over 200 million Snapchatters in India.”

He added, “Unifying our local teams under this new structure will set the right stage for making accelerated investments in India and enable us to further fuel the growth of our community and partners.”

On his appointment, Trivedi shared, “Snap has a reputation for being a true innovator and has built a thriving community in India with a product that has connected with so many young Indians.”

“India is one of the world’s fastest-growing internet economies, giving  Snap an exceptional opportunity to actively contribute to the expansion of our community and businesses,” he added.