Tag: promotion

Singapore – Creative agency VIRTUE Asia has promoted Lesley John to chief executive officer amidst a strategic restructuring. 

The strategic restructure allows the agency to work independently of VICE Media Group while still collaborating with the VIRTUE Worldwide network on relevant proprietary research and global clients.

John has been with VIRTUE Asia since 2021, having served as its managing director before the promotion. Over the years, she has worked with various global and regional brands including Diageo, Toyota, and Shiseido. 

Before joining VIRTUE Asia, she held leadership roles at MediaMonks, VCCP, Arcade, and BBH.

“This restructure represents an exciting new era for VIRTUE Asia, our people and clients. As we embark on a new chapter, the focus on creative innovation, cultural insight and meaningful partnerships remains unwavering. With greater autonomy and flexibility, our increased agility means we can meet the unique needs of brands across Asia, forge new alliances and tailor our approach to the region’s significant opportunities, while continuing to deliver the high standards that define VIRTUE,” John said.

“I’m delighted to be leading the teams in Singapore and India as CEO and while our clients will not notice any differences from the agency’s management change, we have plans to further invest in growing our team of specialists, underscoring our continued confidence in the region’s vast potential,” John added.

Chris Garbutt, president of VIRTUE Worldwide, commented, “Lesley’s appointment as CEO represents a new beginning for VIRTUE Asia. Operating independently, while maintaining collaborative ties with VIRTUE Worldwide will allow the agency to continue delivering innovative, culturally resonant work that drives real impact for clients. Under Lesley’s leadership, I look forward to watching the agency reach new heights and redefine what’s possible for brands in Asia.”

India – Urban Company, an Indian home service company, has chosen M&C Saatchi Performance, a growth marketing agency, to help it expand into international markets in Singapore and the UAE. 

Through this partnership, Urban Company will be able to take advantage of M&C Saatchi Performance’s strategic advice and experience to prosper in global markets.

Urban Company’s international expansion will be spearheaded by M&C Saatchi Performance, which has a track record of leading digitally-driven companies like MPL and UpGrad in their international expansion. 

As part of this partnership, M&C Saatchi Performance has promoted Partha Sharma to country director in India. Sharma will lead the Urban Company account.

Speaking about the partnership, Roshat Adnani, managing director APAC, at M&C Saatchi Performance, said, “It is with great enthusiasm that we partner with Urban Company as their chosen Digital Agency on Record to support their international expansion into the dynamic markets of Singapore and the UAE. Our extensive experience steering Indian brands toward global success equips us for this endeavour. With experience and teams in markets like Singapore & UAE, proven data-driven strategies, and a nuanced understanding of digital businesses, we are well-prepared to amplify Urban Company’s growth. We are dedicated to delivering substantial value to Urban Company.”

Meanwhile, Joon Ming, AVP, marketing, at Urban Company, expressed, “We are excited to partner with M&C Saatchi Performance for our expansion in Singapore. Their deep market insights, combined with a robust local presence and a proven track record in digital business growth, make them the ideal choice to support our international ambitions. We look forward to leveraging their innovative strategies to enhance our footprint and achieve new milestones in these dynamic markets.”

Melbourne, Australia – UM Australia has announced Michael Mellington’s promotion to the newly created position of head of media planning. The promotion will take effect immediately. He will work in Melbourne and report directly to Raj Gupta, UM’s chief strategy and growth officer. 

The UM national media planning team will be headed by Mellington. He will manage the national planning team and attend to the media planning requirements of UM’s national clientele, focusing on clients located in Melbourne.

Mellington joined UM in 2016, having previously worked as head of partnerships in Melbourne. 

Speaking about the promotion, Anathea Ruys, CEO, UM Australia, said, “We are very excited to have someone of Mello’s experience and capability fill this critical role in UM’s evolution. Exceptional media planning is a cornerstone of client success, and on a daily basis, Mello demonstrates his dedication to the craft of planning and his commitment to client growth. More recently he has worked tirelessly to establish and deliver a plan to uplift the craft for UM. With his leadership skills so apparent, the entire planning team – and our clients – will see his efforts come to life as we move forward.” 

She added, “I am truly delighted Michael has taken on this new role and challenge and I am excited about what the future of media planning looks like for UM with him at the helm.” 

Meanwhile, Mellington said, “I am a firm believer that the craft of planning in our industry is pivotal to client growth and needs a renewed focus, so I am thrilled to take on this new challenge working with the incredible talent that is across our national team. My aim moving forward is to balance our approach of people and data to unpack the full spectrum of creative media solutions to drive tangible client outcomes. With the fast-paced evolution of our industry, this is the perfect time for UM to take a market leading stance and I’m honoured to lead this charge with our planning community.”

Singapore – Adobe has announced the promotion of Keith Eadie as its new general manager for Asia Pacific (APAC), where he will oversee and drive the company’s business operations across the dynamic market.

Eadie joined the company almost seven years ago through the acquisition of TubeMogul, where he was the chief marketing and strategy officer. At Adobe, he has led several divisions, including Adobe Advertising, Adobe Analytics, and Adobe Sign. 

In 2022, Eadie moved to Singapore to lead international product marketing for Adobe’s Digital Experience business. He most recently served as Adobe’s vice president of digital experience strategy and GTM for APAC and Japan. His expertise combines product and marketing innovation with strong business acumen and a passion for bringing people together to drive growth.

As the new APAC general manager, Eadie will report to Stephen Frieder, chief revenue officer of Adobe Enterprise.

Frieder said, “Keith Eadie is a transformational business leader with a track record of driving success across teams and value to our customers. Under Keith’s leadership, I’m excited to see the APAC region continue to build on its strong growth trajectory.” 

Also speaking on his promotion, Eadie shared, “As the digital economy continues to expand, and in the era of generative AI, business leaders across APAC are looking to deliver next-generation experiences for their customers. I’m excited for the opportunity to lead an exceptional team and to work with our customers and partners to empower them to drive experience-led growth.”

Singapore – Global brand Anytime Fitness delivers a wake-up call with its latest campaign, “Real Life Never Stops. Anytime Starts Now,” designed to inspire individuals to prioritise their health regardless of how busy life gets.

Anytime Fitness’ new campaign aims to highlight the critical importance of fitness in our everyday lives, emphasising that health and wellness are essential needs, not mere wants.

The campaign film inspires audiences to take action by creatively showcasing individuals from diverse backgrounds—youths, newlyweds, and parents—demonstrating how physical exercise seamlessly integrates into their daily routines.

To drive the campaign forward, Anytime Fitness will offer promotions including reduced membership fees, waived joining fees, and referral incentives, all aimed at encouraging and supporting individuals to start their fitness journeys.

Mark De Joya, chief operating officer at Anytime Fitness Asia, shared, “Together, our message is clear. This campaign highlights the crucial role regular exercise plays in enhancing our everyday lives because, remember, life is better when you train for it, and Anytime Fitness is here to support you on this journey.” 

Anytime Fitness has over 5,500 locations worldwide across 42 countries. In Singapore alone, the global fitness brand has opened 111 clubs and expects to surpass 125 by the end of 2025.

Singapore – DirectAsia Insurance has promoted Ronnie Brown to the position of general manager for Singapore. In addition to this new role, he will continue to serve as the group chief technology officer (CTO). 

This transition marks a pivotal moment in both Brown’s career and the company’s strategic direction to drive profitable growth in the region.

In 2023, Brown held the dual roles of chief marketing and distribution officer and group CTO at DirectAsia Insurance. His promotion to Singapore general manager brings a broader scope of responsibilities.

In an exclusive conversation with MARKETECH APAC, he notes that as the new general manager for Singapore, he will be responsible for running the business in the country, encompassing the creation and execution of the strategy to drive profitable growth. On a more practical level, claims, customer services, underwriting, and transformation have been added to his previous sales, distribution, and marketing-focused remit. 

Brown’s background in marketing and digital has provided a solid foundation for his evolving roles, but he acknowledges that the new responsibilities, particularly in areas like claims and underwriting, are outside his comfort zone. 

“Taking on the responsibility for a claims or underwriting team is very much out of my comfort zone, but a challenge I’m really looking forward to!” he enthused.

Juggling dual roles is no small feat, and Brown acknowledged the challenges but also expressed confidence in his ability to manage both areas effectively.

“I have been balancing two roles for a little while now. My previous experience in digital roles has partially helped with the step up to CTO, but there are clearly areas within IT where I’ve had very little involvement,” he said.

Brown highlighted the advantage of DirectAsia being a digitally native company, which has allowed him to stay consistently engaged with the technological aspects of the business.

“Luckily, I have a brilliant team that makes this very easy for me. The key is to recognise where you are strong and where you need to lean on others. Wherever possible, I try to be clear with what’s required and then trust the team’s expertise and knowledge to get us there,” he shared. 

Reflecting on his journey with DirectAsia Insurance, Brown shared what he has found most fulfilling and what excites him about his new leadership role.

“The most exciting aspect of the new position is the expanded scope and learning from my colleagues who are experts in their field and figuring out how I can help them and our customers,” he stated. 

Hong Kong – Japanese beverage brand Asahi has teamed up with dentsu Hong Kong for an omni-channel campaign to promote its new beer, Dry Crystal, aiming to drive brand experience for the beer product and boost consumer conversions.

The campaign’s goal is to bring users to a new discovery by unlocking new ways to experience beer. 

Recognising Asahi’s offline-focused competitors and the evolving cookieless landscape, dentsu leveraged its data-driven expertise and first-party data to navigate the digital environment, precisely engaging target audiences throughout their purchase journey.

The campaign seamlessly integrated outdoor programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) advertising, strategically placed at prime locations across Hong Kong, with captivating interactive formats across video and display channels. Additionally, dentsu’s data partnerships with The Trade Desk allowed Asahi to leverage retail data, precisely targeting and converting users.

This multifaceted approach successfully captivated audiences, significantly increasing brand awareness while seamlessly driving conversions both online and offline. It not only enhanced Asahi’s full-funnel communication but also drove results in terms of awareness, engagement, and ultimately, conversion among its consumers.

The campaign had garnered 13.6 million impressions and 4.3 million video views. It continues to gain significant traction across Hong Kong, with plans to boost its reach by 87% moving forward. Asahi’s message has effectively reached the right consumers at the right time, leading to a remarkable 392% increase in conversions on Asahi’s flagship store on HKTVmall just three weeks after the campaign launched.

Mag Lai, regional head of brand at Asahi Super Dry, said, “We are thrilled to once again collaborate with dentsu Hong Kong on this effective omnichannel campaign for Dry Crystal. Dentsu has empowered Asahi to break through the competitive landscape and achieve remarkable success in both brand awareness and conversions.” 

Kitty Kwan, planning director at dentsu Hong Kong, added, “This omni-channel campaign for Asahi showcases dentsu’s commitment to delivering impactful solutions that drive meaningful growth for our clients. By seamlessly integrating data-driven strategies across channels, we’ve created a campaign that resonates with consumers and clients, helping to maximise the brand’s reach and engagement.” 

Singapore – Global independent marketing and communications firm FINN Partners has announced the promotion of Joshua Wang to associate vice president, brand & market intelligence for Asia Pacific.

The promotion, which expands FINN’s regional bench and capabilities across offices, helps position the group for long-term growth in APAC and expands on its client service capabilities.

In his new role, Wang is responsible for leveraging research, data analysis and strategic insight to drive revenue growth, bolster thought leadership initiatives, and foster innovation for FINN and its clients.

Speaking on his promotion, Wang said, “In today’s landscape, clients are navigating tremendous shifts. They rely on us to serve as trusted advisors, delving into their challenges and providing strategic counsel. At the foundational level, the value and brilliance of effective brand strategy is in enabling them to achieve a consistent and recognizable identity, one that enables them to stand out from the crowd.”

Meanwhile, Naeema Ismail, managing partner at FINN Partners Singapore, commented, “Joshua lives and breathes client strategy and intelligence for brands and excels at directing programs that require evaluation from multiple angles. Using research to develop strategies that contribute to clients’ bottom lines, while expanding our offerings and supporting the growth of our advisory and consulting program, we’re further able to enhance our work with data-driven insights that drive business impact.”

Australia – DDB Group has elevated DDB Melbourne managing director Mike Napolitano to the position of Melbourne Group CEO as the agency continues its growth trajectory.

In his elevated role, Napolitano will continue to be responsible for leading the DDB Group in Melbourne, including brands DDB, Tribal, Rapp, and Mango. 

Napolitano joined DDB Melbourne in 2020 as group managing director. He brings with him more than 23 years of experience in brand and marketing communications. 

During his time leading DDB Group Melbourne, Napolitano has led a transformation of the agency and the refocusing of the business on a strong creative agenda. Under his term, the agency bagged new client wins, including Coles, New Balance, Dulux, Movember, and multiple government accounts. 

He has also attracted top talents like group executive creative director Psembi Kinstan, head of planning Matt Pearce, head of DDB Group experience Ella Ward, and chief operating officer Tristan Alexander to the agency’s leadership team. 

Prior to DDB, he served as the managing director of TBWA Melbourne and has also worked in leadership roles at George Patterson Y&R. 

Napolitano’s promotion follows the appointment this month of Khia Croy as DDB Melbourne’s new general manager, as the agency continues to enjoy strong growth across new clients. 

Andrew Little, President and CEO of DDB Australia and New Zealand, said, “Having spent so much of my career at DDB Melbourne, I am incredibly proud of Mike and the whole team for what they have achieved in the last few years. Mike is a brilliant leader who not only runs the Melbourne Group businesses but also contributes significantly to our other leaders and businesses across the region. This is a very popular decision and is most deserved.” 

Commenting on his promotion, Napolitano also shared, “It’s a great privilege to lead this amazing team in Melbourne. We’ve all worked hard on making the experience of being here at DDB Group Melbourne one of the best in the industry, and that’s true for our people and our clients. There is still so much potential in our team, and I’m excited and committed to working with the hugely talented leadership group to grow people’s careers and grow our clients’ brands through the creative power of our business. I truly have one of the best jobs in the industry.” 

Napolitano will report to Little, and his appointment is effective immediately. 

India – DDB Mudra Group has promoted its current national strategy head, Menaka Menon, to the role of president and managing partner for growth and strategy to lead the agency’s South office. 

Menon will take over Ranji Cherian, former president and managing partner, who successfully ran and scaled the south office for over 16 years and will now lead as the head of client excellence at the group.

In her new role, Menon will take charge of the operation and strategic thinking for clients based out of the Bengaluru office. 

With over 23 years of experience in business and strategy, she has experience across advertising, broadcast media, and strategic consulting. Menon has spent over 15 years in advertising, with stints at agencies such as FCB, VML, and Leo Burnett. 

Commenting on her new role, Menon said, “I am super excited about this new role and look forward to further strengthening the South operation and building a strong, closely knit team, geared towards creating great work that has the power to move people.”

Also speaking on the promotion, Rahul Mathew, chief creative officer at DDB Mudra Group, said, “We believe that everything we do is built on strong strategic pillars, be it our work or how we do our work. In her new role, Menaka will use her strategic background to add more value to our client’s business while building a strong culture of creativity in the office. Over the last few years, some of our best work has come from our South office, and I’m really excited to work with Menaka to push us to newer heights.”