Tag: Middle East and Africa

Singapore – Global home appliance manufacturer Electrolux has announced that it is shutting down its regional office in Singapore and is aiming to relocate its APAC and MEA commercial leadership to Thailand, MARKETECH APAC has learned recently.

In an exclusive statement sent by Samar Refai, communications director, APAC & MEA transformation at Electrolux, she stated that with this office closure, there will be several regional employees who will be laid off. However, they did not specify the number of employees who will be affected. The company has promised that the affected employees will be offered the maximum level of support during the upcoming transition period.

“With a newly established commercial set-up for APAC & MEA, Australia and Thailand are becoming key hubs for Electrolux Group in the region. Having the regional capabilities & competencies within these hubs ensures proximity to our customers, consumers, manufacturing sites, R&D and Innovation centers,” Refai told MARKETECH APAC.

Refai also assured that despite the imminent fate of its Singapore office, Electrolux will continue to drive its important business in the APAC&MEA region focusing on growth.

“This decision has no impact, whatsoever, on the operational business & trade relations, in any of Electrolux Group’s markets in APAC & MEA, including Singapore Sales office in Braddell,” she also added.

Electrolux has recently recorded a dip in its global sales, according to its recent year-end report for the fourth quarter of 2023. In it, the company noted that organic sales decreased by 0.8% mainly driven by negative prices but also lower volumes.

“In three out of four business areas we managed to navigate this challenging market environment in a fairly good way, even if the weak market demand resulted in an earnings decline for 2023 in our European and Asia-Pacific operations,” Jonas Samuelson, president and CEO of Electrolux stated.

Electrolux’s layoffs also join other major companies who have made significant cut-offs to its Singapore offices, including Unilever and Lazada.


Manila, Philippines – Global professional and consulting services company Accenture has appointed Louise Sabariaga to the role of chief marketing officer of growth markets, composing the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. 

Sabariaga has confirmed to MARKETECH APAC about said appointment, which took effect in September this year.

She was most recently the global managing director of Accenture’s technology sustainability, marketing and communications. Previously, she also held the role of managing director of technology and ecosystems marketing, communications for APAC, MEA, and LATAM.

Sabariaga has been with Accenture for around 17 years, with a large portion of the time serving the Philippine market, as well as the Southeast Asian region.

Her appointment comes after a slew of acquisitions made by Accenture in APAC, including New Zealand consumer insights business Fiftyfive5 and Indonesian brand experience agency Romp.

Singapore – Publicis Groupe in Asia-Pacific has announced that it has appointed Suzy Goulding as the new head of sustainability for Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa for MSL Group. She will lead the strategy development and steer sustainability efforts for clients handled under MSL and support an integrated approach to ESG-related endeavours.

Goulding brings her expertise in strategic communications, sustainability, and social impact from her previous work at MullenLowe salt, where she was the Asia Pacific managing director for both the strategic communications agency and its specialist practice, MullenLowe Sustainability, which she launched three years ago. 

She has focused the past six years of her career at MullenLowe salt on expanding her expertise in sustainability and social impact, working with brands and clients across APAC and MEA. Prior to her work at MullenLowe salt, she established and managed the agency, Umami Collective, providing expertise in corporate communications, technology PR, thought leadership, and more to produce meaningful changes both within and outside of businesses.

Margaret Key, CEO for APAC and MEA at MSL said, “Suzy will be a fantastic addition to our team as our Head of Sustainability. As seen with the launch of Salterbaxter in Australia, we are driving a differentiated, compelling approach to ESG that leverages technical expertise and strategic communications. Suzy is the ideal leader to drive this novel approach to ESG on behalf of clients across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.”

Meanwhile, speaking on her new role, Goulding said, “I am delighted to be joining MSL at a time when the need for brands and organisations to drive sustainable change could not be more critical. I believe that most companies want to become better, but lack the knowledge and confidence to take meaningful and impactful action.” 

She added, “I’m looking forward to working with Margaret and her teams across APAC and MEA to help clients make sustainable changes with conviction and communicate their actions in a way that is honest, transparent, and credible.”

Singapore – Redhill, the Singapore-headquartered full-service global communications agency, has expanded its presence in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) with its strategic inclusion in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), a renowned international financial center located in Abu Dhabi. 

Redhill’s strategic inclusion in the ADGM expands its access to new commercial prospects in Abu Dhabi and around the region. The presence of the agency at ADGM also enables other ADGM-registered firms, investments, and startups with a co-located partner that specializes in the entire range of communications advice and can drive regional and global expansion.

The addition of Redhill to the ADGM shows the agency’s rapid worldwide growth momentum. In 2021, Redhill established a footprint in South Korea, and throughout 2022, it went a step further with its first acquisition, Hong Kong-based Creative Consulting Group (CCG) – a synergistic move that will help Redhill grow its presence and service offering in Asia. These are in addition to Redhill’s current presences in Australia, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United States, and other countries.

Anit Kurian, managing director of  Middle East & Africa at Redhill, shared that Redhill chose to start in the ADGM because they believe in the value of a strong presence in the UAE’s capital. 

“We now have a launchpad to help our international clients amplify their reach in the MEA region; in turn, our global network enables us to broadcast the stories of and from Abu Dhabi to the world. There is excellent synergy between Redhill and the ADGM, and we are proud to be the first PR agency within its vibrant ecosystem,” Kurian said. 

Dhaher bin Dhaher Al Mheiri, CEO of registration authority at ADMG, commented, “The ADGM’s robust, progressive business-friendly ecosystem has attracted some of the world’s most competitive and aspirational businesses to build their regional headquarters here, and that includes Redhill. Aligning with Abu Dhabi’s broader growth strategy, our vision is to build a globally competitive pool of businesses that can serve not just the MEA region, but also the international market.”

“As an international Financial Centre, we look forward to welcoming more businesses from Asia and beyond who are looking for a steppingstone to the UAE and the wider region,” Al Mheiri adds.

To date, Redhill has worked with various clients in and from the region such as the World Police Summit, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, East Ventures and Moglix. The agency has also established a second office in Dubai Media City with plans to double its regional headcount in 2022.

Singapore — Grey Group, the global advertising and marketing network, has announced the appointment of Davi Sing Liu, previously the regional CCO of Grey Greater China, as Grey’s chief creative officer (CCO) for P&G Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA).

Liu is an established and respected creative who holds over 20 years of extensive experience across multiple geographies. In his previous role as regional CCO, he led the creative output for high-value clients namely Volvo, HSBC, P&G, and Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Prior to joining Grey Group in 2019, he helped build Enso, the Los Angeles-based agency focused on purpose-led brands and projects with new-economy clients such as Google, Medium, Uber, Khan Academy, among others, while also working with innovative startups.

His other creative projects include; first creative director for MakeMake Entertainment, first integrated creative director for Deutsch La, creative director on transmedia projects at Modernista!, and he worked on the Nike campaigns for Japan, China, and APAC for Wieden+Kennedy. Liu also contributed to Wieden+Kennedy TokyoLab, the multi-media music and film label.

Not only is Liu a veteran in the industry, but he is also a decorated creative mind, winning numerous awards at One Show, Effies, the SXSW Interactive, Communication Arts. He has also participated in various juries such as Cannes Lions and D&AD. He is also a member of Grey’s Global creative board.

Based in Shanghai, Liu will be part of Grey’s P&G Global Leadership Team, reporting to Javier Campopiano, worldwide chief creative officer of Grey Group, and working closely with Nirvik Singh, global COO and president international of Grey Group, and John Patroulis, global creative chairman and president, creative businessof Grey Group.

Grey Group’s worldwide CCO Campopiano said, “Our constant commitment to the creative product and famously effective work requires focusing the best talent into our biggest clients. Grey and P&G have a long history of world-class, award-winning work. Davi´s arrival is key to ensure that we keep honouring that legacy with exciting work for such a highly competitive and innovative region.”

Singh, commented on the Lius appointment, saying, “Davi brings meaningful cultural insights to contemporary, purpose-led creative work. His appointment emphasises the importance we place on game-changing creativity to achieve growth for our clients – I look forward to seeing even more ‘famously effective’ work from our P&G AMEA Borderless Studio.”

Meanwhile, Patroulis shared, “We are always looking for new and better ways to bring the full power of creativity to the work that moves our client’s business forward. Creating the first CCO role to focus solely on P&G AMEA is meant to do just that. And in Davi we have a passionate, deeply creative, entirely empathetic leader the role deserves, so we couldn’t be more excited.”

Commenting on his appointment, Liu shared he is always grateful for a role that leverages creativity and innovation to serve not only clients and brands but the people they reach.

“It’s an exceptional time in our world and industry to work on brands and their products that affect everyday lives. I hope to be useful in making an impact with our partners across the P&G work,” Liu said.

Liu will partner with Sarah Trombetta, chief client officer for WPP/Grey P&G AMEA, to set the creative vision, direction, and ambition for P&G’s portfolio of iconic brands across the region.