Tag: Myanmar

Bangkok, Thailand – Global media and digital marketing communications company dentsu in Asia-Pacific has announced that Sanjay Bhasin, current CEO of dentsu in Vietnam and Myanmar, has now added the role of CEO for dentsu Thailand to his leadership position. He commences his new role on 1 January 2022.

Said appointment is central to dentsu Asia-Pacific’s strategy to strengthen the market clusters and bring Thailand into its next phase of growth.

Bhasin returns to Thailand, having spent nine years running Y&R Southeast Asia out of Thailand before joining dentsu in 2018. He will be splitting his time equally between Thailand and Vietnam. 

This appointment follows after the retirement of Khun Amornsak Sakpuaram, CEO at dentsu Thailand and executive chairman at dentsu MB Thailand. Having been with the dentsu network for 37 years, Khun Amornsak will assume an advisory role from 1 January 2022 until the end of Q1 2022.

Speaking about his appointment, Bhasin said, “I am excited to be returning to Thailand to lead the dentsu business. Khun Amornsak leaves the organization in an excellent position to build growth from, and I am looking forward to working with him over the coming months. Thailand is a fast-paced and dynamic market. We have a first-class team with a clear vision and market acumen to ensure we deliver the best and most integrated experiences for consumers on our client’s behalf. I can’t wait to get started.”

Meanwhile, Sakpuaram commented, “I have enjoyed every moment of my 37 years at dentsu Thailand. I never expected to still be here when I walked through the doors in 1984, but it is testament to the nature of this incredible business that I have stayed so long. We have achieved a huge amount together as a network.”

He added, “We have never stopped innovating or delivering distinctiveness to enhance capabilities in the business ecosystem, enabling the growth of our client’s brands. Given his extensive experience in the market, Sanjay is the natural choice to lead the Thailand business and I wish Sanjay, and all my colleagues at dentsu international Thailand and further afield, the very best for the future.” 

Wendy Clark, global CEO, dentsu international said, “Sanjay Bhasin is a familiar and trusted industry veteran and the right leader for our next phase of growth. Under Sanjay’s leadership, our Vietnam business has built a formidable reputation as the most successful integrated agency in the market. We are confident in the continued success of dentsu Thailand under Sanjay’s leadership. Khun Amornsak has been the driving force behind dentsu Thailand’s growth. We thank him for his years of dedication and service and wish him a long and happy retirement.”

Bangkok, Thailand – Marketing communications agency FCB Bangkok in Thailand has announced that it has bagged the creative and digital mandate account of nutritional malted drink Ovaltine across four markets in Southeast Asia, namely Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Cambodia.

Through the appointment, FCB Bangkok will lead the creative and digital mandate for the Brand, powered with 360- degree communication strategies aimed at defining the overall brand strategy and the portfolio strategy, as the brand charts its course for the next phase of growth.

For Tutiya Disphanurat, managing director at FCB Bangkok, this has been one of the agency’s toughest pitches in recent times, as it combines insights and understanding from four countries in order to increase engagement with the brand.

“Understanding the brand’s tone and business nuances in various markets was topped by the need to delve more deeply into the relationship of Moms & Kids and gain insights and cultural patterns. Over one and a half months of pitch preparation, we developed an integrated strategy to strengthen Ovaltine’s presence in these markets. The big win also showcases FCB’s strong network in SEA, with great minds coming together, across geographies, working with local and regional insights to make this win possible, together,” Disphanurat said.

Ovaltine, a rich Swiss heritage for over 100 years, features a strong brand awareness and enjoys a good reputation as a nutritional malt drink for kids and adults alike. Ovaltine is a nutritious and delicious drink brand enjoyed by millions of families around the world for its rich malt taste and nutritional value. 

For Pawika Tongtavee, marketing director of Ovaltine for the Southeast Asia market, they chose FCB Bangkok due to ‘their outstanding strategic capabilities and unique creative vision for Ovaltine’.

“FCB Bangkok’s strength lies with strategy, and they are the perfect partners who will help us take the brand to the next level. The passion of the team and the leadership towards the brand, coupled with high energy level and teamwork, is exactly the mix we were looking for,” Tongtavee stated.

Singapore – Ampverse, an esports entertainment company, has announced new hires for its company in response to their expansion to Vietnam and Myanmar this year.

Top hires include director of revenue and customer success Jackie Tangngumvitayakul formerly of media company Starcom, head of client solutions Kate Siriwattanakul formerly of media investment company GroupM.

Other additions to the Ampverse team include strategic initiatives manager Athiti Sujarit formerly of esports event organizer Garena, and new team members across its sales, finance, human resources, creative solutions, and esports divisions. 

“We are really pleased to welcome this bunch of talented and bright individuals to Ampverse. As we prepare ourselves for the next phase of growth, I’m incredibly proud that Ampverse continues to attract talent of such high caliber. Reflected by their diverse interests, personalities, and knowledge, our new talent will support us in bringing forth wider creative solutions for our clients,” said Ferdinand Gutierrez, CEO of Ampverse.

He added, “Vietnam and Myanmar are among Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies, with both markets displaying a huge growth potential for gaming, boasting many promising players and a robust gaming community. As we settle into 2021, our goal is to extend our resources, talent, and experiences in places where we know there is a clear demand.”

Ampverse is currently operating with three esports teams and has worked with brands such as Samsung, KFC, Porsche, Electronic Arts, Lazada and Grab.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur-based developer of scalable mobile platforms Forest Interactive has partnered with mobile network operators in eight countries to launch content subscription services. The service will be available in Myanmar, Switzerland, Austria, Kuwait, and Kenya as well as Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia.

Forest Interactive’s value-added-services offer a variety of mixed content such as an HTML5 game portal with over 400 plus premium game titles, premium Android games, and mixed creative content. The platform will also offer gaming platforms Gamemania, Gamesrack, Gameddiction, Fun Club, Mobiclubs, and HaHey VDO.

Johary Mustapha, chief executive officer of Forest Interactive said, “The ongoing global crisis has led to an increase in demand for creative content, especially videos and mobile games. This has allowed us to continue doing what we do best and launching these partnerships with mobile operators worldwide.”

“Forest Interactive has been developing scalable platforms with simplified service integration, equipped with customizable features and fast upgrade capabilities to better tailor to mobile operators’ business requirements at no initial setup fee or hidden cost. This will help mobile operators increase their average revenue per user and customer loyalty through cost-effective and profitable solutions,” Mustapha continued.

All subscription-based content is available to mobile subscribers once it has been approved by mobile operators and integrations. 

Indonesia – Ad manager Httpool announced that it will now start offering GrabAds in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar.

Southeast Asia super app Grab offers advertisers an advertising opportunity through GrabAds, an online-to-offline (O2O) platform for brands to engage with Southeast Asian consumers across eight countries.

Httpool Managing Director for APAC Sunny Nagpal said that offering GrabAds in the region will open avenues for brands and advertising agencies to leverage their data capabilities and local market insights.

“GrabAds relies on unique insights from its millions of users and allows advertisers to connect with their audience in the right place at the right time,” said Nagpal.