Tag: Managing Director

Sydney, Australia – UM Australia, the media arm of media marketing network Mediabrands, has announced a series of appointments, namely Gareth Nicholls, the new managing director of UM Melbourne and Brisbane, Brett Elliott, the new managing director of UM Canberra and Government, and Ben McCallum, the new managing director of UM Sydney.

The elevated roles of the said managing directors are designed to ensure each market leader is able to reflect UM’s commitment to providing deep strategic counsel and partnership to clients.

Commenting on his new appointment, Elliott shared it is such an exciting time to be in the media industry, especially working on government business as they navigate through the fast-changing landscape of an election year.

“I have an enviable team of talented people with a thirst to succeed and thrive, and together we look forward to building the momentum of Canberra’s office and securing our place as the leading media agency in the market,” said Elliot.

Meanwhile, Nicholls said in such a fast-moving and evolving market, holding onto the best talent is the key indicator that your agency culture is strong. 

“Taking on this new role is incredibly exciting as it allows me to continue to grow our client relationships, drive new business growth and most importantly foster the great talent pool that we have in UM. All critical factors in ensuring the agency’s success,” added Nicholls.

Anathea Ruys, UM Australia’s CEO, commented that she was delighted to promote Nicholls and Elliott, promotions which were reflective of UM’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class management structure that provides the right level of leadership for its clients and its people. 

“We are in the business of investment – we work with our clients to invest in future-proofing their businesses and we invest in our people, ensuring that everything we do is based on delivering dividends for them in their wellbeing, their careers, and their growth. I’m so thrilled Gareth and Brett are taking on these new responsibilities to help drive the future growth of UM Australia,” said Ruys.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Tire manufacturer brand Continental Tyre in Malaysia has appointed Andrea Somorova as its managing director for its Malaysian operations. Somorova previously served the local branch as its plant operations manager for almost six years.

A native of Slovakia, Somorova joins from Continental of Taiwan where she was general manager. She has been at Continental Group for over 23 years, of which 18 years were spent in Asia. She started her career with Continental Group in 1999 in Slovakia and then moved on to Continental in Germany before assuming managerial roles in Asia including in Malaysia, and other APAC markets.

While in Taiwan, Somorova steered Continental to achieve brand awareness among its Asia Pacific markets. She also led the team through one of its most challenging periods during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Somorova takes over from Samir Gupta who now oversees the India Operations while continuing to head the Central Asia Region Passenger and Light Truck Tires Replacement Business (PLT RE) at Continental.

Speaking about her appointment, Somorova said, “I am very excited to return to Malaysia and build on the work done previously. I look forward to guiding Continental Tyre Malaysia on its growth trajectory working closely with our teams on the ground to deliver innovative tyre solutions to our passenger and commercial vehicle customers. I always welcome new ideas from my team and believe that empowering them through trust, collaboration, and clear communication works best to deliver on our shared goals.”

Meanwhile, Gupta commented, “Her vast knowledge in the region and her familiarity with the Malaysian market will complement the amazing team in Malaysia who I’ve had the privilege to work with over the past two years.”

San Francisco, USA – Fandom, a global fan platform, has appointed Yamini Joshi as its newest managing director for sales in APAC. She is currently based in Singapore and will report to Ken Shapiro, chief revenue officer at Fandom.

Through his new role, Joshi will be responsible for growing Fandom’s business in the APAC region, including the development and execution of revenue growth and monetization strategies and creating scalable, client-centric category solutions that utilise the full power of Fandom’s portfolio.

She brings into Fandom 20 years of experience in the media and digital industry. She has a keen understanding of media platforms in Asia across broadcast, digital and print, having worked with corporations like Fox, RTB House and Financial Express.

Prior to joining Fandom, she was previously the SVP for sales for APAC and Middle East at Fox Networks, where she built a multi-million dollar business driven through key partnerships with clients like Unilever, P&G, Samsung, L’oreal, Toyota, Canon amongst others.

Speaking about Joshi’s appointment, Shapiro said, “Fandom is in a period of explosive growth and our advertising organisation has seen increased market demand internationally – and specifically in our APAC territory. I’m pleased to bring in a strong leader like Yamini to take Fandom’s brand to new levels.”

He added, “Her impressive tenure in the media and entertainment industry will allow us to grow opportunities with our ad partners and build out our international business across multiple verticals in TV, streaming, gaming and film.”

Sydney, Australia – iProspect, the media agency under the dentsu network, has elevated Marcelle Gomez, former general manager in Sydney, to be its new managing director (MD) in Sydney.

Gomez brings with her over 20 years of experience in various leadership roles across planning, account management, investment, and general agency management. Prior to joining iProspect 12 months ago, Gomez was the managing director at media agency Initiative Sydney and the general manager at IPG Mediabrands’ MAGNA in Melbourne.

iProspect has also announced that the Sydney office has had a dramatic growth spurt as they get close to doubling their staff, from 29 to 55. Recent new business wins, both locally and globally, have been a factor in the hiring of further staff. Those wins include Beforepay, Shopify, Polestar and the global win of French luxury group Kering.

Gomez said, “I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved in 2021 and that momentum will continue this year as we share more announcements in the near future. This is a brilliant business and team with the energy, ambition and performance mindset to continue our growth trajectory.”

Meanwhile, Oliver Rapson, iProspect’s CEO for Australia, shared that Gomez has joined the team during iProspect’s period of transformation with their focus on accelerating brand growth and end to end capabilities. 

“She provides energy, professionalism and a great depth of knowledge to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead in the future. Her motivation has always been on taking iProspect Sydney to the success it is enjoying today and I’m thrilled to have her promoted to MD,” said Rapson.

Pakistan – Global snacking company Mondelēz has appointed Sami Wahid, its former strategy lead for the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan (MENAP), as the new managing director for Pakistan.

Wahid brings over 17 years of experience in the fields of marketing, sales, and strategy. He has a long association with Mondelez International, starting back in 2015 where he became part of the organization and have overlooked various responsibilities across many markets. During his most recent role at Mondelez, he has steered and transformed the company through the challenging times of the pandemic.

In his new role, Wahid will be responsible for Mondelēz Pakistan’s overall business strategy and commercial offerings.

Commenting on his appointment, Wahid said that it is an honour to take on the new role, especially at a time when there are growing opportunities and promising business avenues for Pakistan.

He further shared that they have built a strong foundation for the company in the past years which is envisioned to grow even further through tactful and strategic means.

“My aim is to bring the years of knowledge and experience of multi-markets & categories to further accelerate the company’s growth via deepening our connection with consumers and expanding our footprints into evolving channels, as well as focusing on our team development,” said Wahid.

Sydney, Australia – Full-service media independent agency This is Flow has announced the promotion of former digital lead Matt Papasavva as the agency’s newest managing director. His core focus will now be centered on evolving the agency’s “Positive Impact” positioning, which is designed around harnessing talent, driving innovation, and an unforgettable client experience.

Prior to joining the agency, he was the digital media manager at Ticketek with responsibility for leading the digital marketing efforts for the majority of sporting clubs and codes across Australia. Before that, he was with Mindshare as digital business manager and associate director at FAST Programmatic. He has also worked at MediaCom in digital implementation, planning and investment.

Speaking about his promotion, Papasavva said, “Flow has been on an amazing growth trajectory, and as someone that’s been on that journey, this new responsibility is incredibly exciting as it allows me to play a lead role in both harnessing client relationships, and further developing the great talent pool that sits within Flow. Two critical factors in future- proofing the agency’s success.”

Meanwhile, Jimmy Hyett, CEO at This is Flow, commented, “In such a volatile market, holding onto the best talent is a true indicator of a strong culture that exists within the agency, and I’m constantly inspired by seeing our team grow, both in size and experience.”

He added, “[Papasavva] has quickly built a reputation as one of the most passionate and influential emerging leaders in our industry. Highlighted by an enormous respect and admiration from all of our clients and staff, he has spearheaded the growth era of Flow and will continue to have a positive impact on the agency.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Omnicom Media Group in Malaysia has announced two key leadership appointments in their agency, namely Kiron Kesav as chief strategy officer at OMG Malaysia and Mayank Bhatnagar as managing director at OMD Malaysia. Said appointments are part of the agency’s vision to continue strengthening its presence within the region as a media agency powerhouse.

Kesav, who was previously the general manager of PHD Malaysia, will be guiding OMG’s agencies towards pushing forward its strategic planning products, business solutions for clients and thought leadership and innovations for the network. Said promotion will provide the agency with the expertise needed to serve its clients and create a positive impact for the agency locally and regionally.

Meanwhile, Bhatnagar has over 20 years of industry experience, managing several blue-chip clients across various markets in Asia. His appointment will see him overseeing OMD Malaysia, ensuring the continuous growth and momentum of the agency and its client accounts.

Both new hires will be reporting directly to Eileen Ooi, chief operating officer at OMG Malaysia, and will officially assume their new roles with immediate effect. For the meantime, Ooi will also be overseeing PHD Malaysia in the interim.

Speaking about the new appointments, Ooi shared, “Both Kiron and Mayank’s appointments are extremely valuable in strengthening OMG Malaysia as a media powerhouse in the local and regional context.”

She added, “[Kesav] has proven his capabilities by successfully leading PHD Malaysia as general manager of strategy and platforms. I am confident that his well-earned elevation will see him contribute immensely to the success of OMG as a whole. [Bhatnagar’s] extensive experience [meanwhile], across the industry, along with how well-accustomed he is with the Malaysian market, will be beneficial to continuing the success of OMD Malaysia.

Singapore – Marcus Pousette, formerly the country manager for Southeast Asia, Greater China and Korea at PubMatic, has been appointed by brand suitability platform and YouTube measurement program partner Channel Factory as its newest managing director for Southeast Asia. In his new role, he will be working closely alongside Channel Factory President, Alex Littlejohn, to drive business growth across the Asia-Pacific region.

As he brings into the company an 11 year-track record in revenue growth and in managing large accounts across enterprise verticals, Pousette will be leading the company’s go-to-market strategy, sales, and operations teams across Southeast Asia and India. 

The latest appointment move comes as Channel Factory scales up its efforts in the region by leveraging Asia’s growing online advertising market. 

Speaking about his appointment, Pousette said that he is excited to join Alex and the team in building a better digital advertising ecosystem, especially in a market that is rapidly evolving in the region.

“Furthermore, in a region that is extremely diverse, there is the added challenge of brands relating to the right consumers. Our goal at Channel Factory is to enable brands and marketers to consciously connect with their audience in the right context, and align with their brand values,” he said.

Meanwhile, Littlejohn commented that someone with such calibre on board like Pousette is crucial as they gear towards the continued expansion of their business heading into this year.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity of working alongside brilliant people like Marcus, and push for progress, further transparency and conscious advertising across the industry. Marcus’ experience in scaling a company for international success will be invaluable to us as we continue to focus on the importance of brand suitability and elevate online advertising standards for our clients,” he added.

Along with Pousette, Channel Factory has made a number of hires to its Southeast Asian team including MediaCom’s Dhanesh Tarani, AnyMind Group’s Dawn Lee, and dentsu’s Tom Yap. This is in line with Channel Factory’s business plan in expanding its operations across the region, specifically in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Singapore – Mitchell Kreuch has been promoted to the role of managing director for Southeast Asia at Twitter, coming from his previous role as part of Twitter’s APAC agency development. In his new role, he will be responsible for continuing and accelerating Twitter’s revenue growth in Southeast Asia.

He will be reporting to Yu Sasamoto, vice president for Asia-Pacific at Twitter.

Prior to joining Twitter in 2017, Kreunch l spent almost three decades in the sales, marketing, and media industries across the US and in Asia Pacific. He has worked for global brands such as The Walt Disney Company, Yahoo!, and the New York Time

Speaking about his appointment, he said that in his new role, continuous growth of the platform in Southeast Asia is a top priority, adding that having led Twitter’s agency development in the APAC region for the past two years, he is excited to expand the role to lead the revenue growth team in the Southeast Asia region.

“Through Yu’s leadership and collaboration with our amazing team across the region, I look forward to unlocking more opportunities and continuing to showcase Twitter’s values to help brands stay connected with our audiences in the region,” Kreunch said.

Meanwhile, Sasamoto commented that they are excited to have Mitchell lead their revenue growth and continue accelerating their revenue growth across the Southeast Asia region.

“With Mitchell’s extensive experience in sales, media, and marketing over the past three decades, I’m confident that he will be a strong leader for our Southeast Asia sales team, strengthen our client and partner relationships across this region, and increase our commitment to Southeast Asia as a high-growth region for Twitter,” he added.

Melbourne, Australia – iProspect, the media agency under the dentsu network, has announced the appointment of former chief media officer at Cummins&Partners Paul Murphy to be its newest managing director in Melbourne. The appointment takes effect on 10 January 2022.

He brings into the agency 25 years of experience working agency- and client-side in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide, and assuming national roles across traditional, digital, planning, and buying.

Prior to Cummins&Partners, Murphy also had notable roles working for companies like Carlton & United Breweries, Blue Hive, Mindshare Melbourne, and OMD Melbourne. He began his career at full-service agency KWP in Adelaide in 1996.

The announcement of the new managing director was made by Oliver Rapson, CEO at iProspect Australia, who said that this is a major hire for iProspect and one that will have the greatest benefit for their clients and offering in Melbourne.

“Paul is a proven leader, we are delighted to have someone of his caliber join the team and I am excited for 2022 and see a year of huge potential and growth,” Rapson said.

Speaking about his appointment, Murphy said, “From my first conversation with Ollie, I was struck by the energy and enthusiasm the team at iProspect have for the business, their clients, and each other.”

He added, “As the industry shifts at pace, clients need a partner that can continually evolve their communications to reach and engage their consumers at the right place and time, for the best price. I am thrilled to be joining a team of professionals both in iProspect and the wider dentsu Group that are hungry for the challenges ahead.”

Meanwhile, Sue Squillace, CEO of dentsu Media ANZ, commented, “This is a very exciting time for the iProspect brand as we continue to build out the new digital-first end to end brand proposition. We are thrilled to welcome Paul to the dentsu family accelerating and leading the new iProspect offering for our clients and our people in Melbourne.”