Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore – Creator platform for short premium content Viddsee has appointed Esther Yue as its head of brand entertainment, and are set to infuse a fresh perspective and enhance the team’s growth momentum.

In her new role, Yue will leverage her experience in business development and client retention to generate new clients and branded partnerships. She is charged with leading Viddsee’s branded entertainment team, bolstered by the inclusion of new, experienced hires. 

This fresh and proficient team is set to bring a new level of dynamism to Viddsee’s branded content business. Collaborating closely with internal studios and the marketing team, she will help pioneer integrated strategy solutions for Viddsee’s clients.

Yue will be joining Viddsee’s robust management team, which includes Ho Jia Jian as the CEO, Michele Schofield as the senior vice president of commercial, and Kenny Tan as the vice president of Viddsee Studios.

She is a seasoned industry professional, bringing an impressive wealth of experience from her past leadership roles at Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO, Dentsu, Craft Worldwide WW and most recently at Distillery. 

During her tenure at these esteemed advertising agencies, she had the privilege of collaborating on noteworthy projects, alongside top-tier creative teams and clients throughout the region.

Ho Jia Jian, CEO of Viddsee, said, “Having Esther on board is a huge win for us. Her experience and proven record will boost our business offerings. This appointment shows Viddsee’s commitment to strengthening our storytelling brand, reaching more clients, and growing faster.”

Singapore – DHL Supply Chain has announced an investment of €350m (US$369.8m) in Southeast Asia to expand its warehousing capacity, workforce and sustainability initiatives. The regional investment is part of the company’s €1.35b strategic investment globally.

Some of the notable developments which will benefit from the investment include 40,000 square meters DHL Maheswara Green Logistics facility in West Java, Indonesia, 18,000 square meters Penang Logistics Hub 5 (PLH5) in Malaysia, 50,000 square meters built-to-suit facility in the Philippines, and 60,000 square meters of space acquired from a local business in Singapore.

DHL Supply Chain will also continue to develop its Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) while introducing other warehouse technology in selected markets such as auto-stores, automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) for pallets and large goods, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). These digitalisation initiatives also allow employees to upskill themselves in such implementations.

Moreover, it has reinforced its commitment to people development as it seeks to create over 3,000 job opportunities across Southeast Asia by 2024. In addition, the company plans to double its EV fleet in Southeast Asia over the next five years.

Oscar de Bok, CEO at DHL Supply Chain, said, “There is an incredible opportunity for businesses in Southeast Asia to strengthen supply chain resiliency. Companies are looking at diversifying their supply chains. Southeast Asia, with its efficient work environment and effective trade agreements such as the China-ASEAN FTA, stands to benefit the most. Our multi-market investment of EUR350 million in this region complements our global investment strategy.”

He added, “These are strategic investments we take – despite the generally softer market environment – because we invest in the future growth of our business and strongly believe in the strategic expansion and diversification of our regional businesses. This puts us in a prime position to support our customers’ growth and omnisourcing strategy in the long term.”

Meanwhile, Javier Bilbao, CEO at DHL Supply Chain Asia-Pacific, commented, “We are not just increasing our capacity, but we are building logistics centers that can cater to future demand for our customers through robotics and sustainability initiatives. For example, we are equipping our upcoming fifth facility in Penang – PLH5 with state-of-the-art automated pallet storage and retrieval system and goods-to-person robotics technology to handle small parts picking.”

Singapore – Kellogg’s has appointed Ogilvy Singapore to handle its creative mandate in Southeast Asia. Through the mandate, the agency is tasked at reshaping breakfast choices in a region where cereal consumption has plateaued, partly due to consumers “skipping and skimping” breakfast.

The scope of work includes the creation of three films, featuring Granola, Coco Galaxy, and Coco Fills – each laddering up to a single idea to build the Kellogg’s master brand. Additionally, Ogilvy Singapore has crafted key visuals (KVs) for each product, with adaptations for digital billboards, bus wraps, and in-store merchandising. 

The campaigns will run in Singapore and Thailand for Kellogg’s Granola and Coco Galaxy, and Indonesia for Kellogg’s Coco Fills.

Moreover, Ogilvy, in partnership with Hogarth, extended its network’s capabilities to ensure that this innovative idea was executed in diverse ways across the markets it served.

Jeremy Webb, vice president and head of content at Ogilvy Singapore, said, “This is the perfect demonstration of Ogilvy’s ‘borderless creativity’ – a powerful single big idea that will evolve and serve the brand over time, based on insights from multiple markets and executed with Ogilvy’s strong geographical network. Not many agencies can leverage their network in the way we did–and through this, we can deliver efficiencies, but more importantly, insightful and modern work that cuts through and drives business growth for our clients in APAC.”

Recognising the need for a unifying idea that transcends borders and resonates with diverse audiences, Ogilvy harnessed its network and research capabilities to uncover valuable insights into breakfast consumption habits. The resulting campaign tagline, “Your day is waiting, but first Kellogg’s,” encourages individuals to press pause before they embark on their daily routines, positioning Kellogg’s as the ideal breakfast companion.

Meanwhile, Hao Tran, commercial leader for RTEC SEA at Kellogg’s, commented “We were looking for a creative agency and in Ogilvy we found a partner who delivered on quality strategy, and strong client servicing. Plus, it’s always a delight to work with a team of passionate creatives. Together we came up with a powerful big idea, executed quickly and efficiently, that will support our ambitious brand growth across products, markets and over time. We hope this campaign will be the first of many.” 

Singapore – GrabAds, Grab’s advertising division, announced a new strategic partnership with Tomato Interactive, a subsidiary of BlueMedia and component of the BlueFocus Group, today. Tomato Interactive, a global influencer and integrated marketing agency based in China, specialises in travel, lifestyle, gaming, and technology.

This collaboration will enable Tomato Interactive’s clients to use GrabAds’ comprehensive retail media tools, allowing them to connect with valuable users across Southeast Asia through the Grab super app ecosystem. It also marks GrabAds’ first collaboration with a global marketing agency in the Greater China region.

Brands working with Tomato Interactive are given access to hyperlocal first-party data from the actual spending patterns of valuable consumers in Southeast Asia by working with GrabAds. Through the entire marketing funnel, the strength of Grab’s retail media network will help Tomato Interactive’s clients’ clients increase brand awareness and consumer engagement.

Speaking about the partnership, Jiao Li, general manager of Tomato Interactive and vice president of BlueMedia, said, “As a leading superapp in the region, Grab knows Southeast Asia best. Our partnership comes very timely, as we see keen interest from our clients across travel, lifestyle and technology looking to expand and grow their brand within Southeast Asia’s growing and digitally-savvy consumers.” 

He added, “We believe that GrabAds’ retail media network capabilities – whether access to first-party insights or Grab’s end-to-end ecosystem, will allow us to support our clients better across their marketing needs.”

Meanwhile, Dave Yang, regional head of sales and GTM at GrabAds, expressed, “We’re thrilled to embark on this journey with Tomato Interactive. We’re confident that our tie-up will support their clients in gaining better awareness and brand building in Southeast Asia. This is also a milestone for GrabAds, as we expand our reach to brands in the Greater China region through Tomato Interactive’s strong network of clients.”

Malaysia – Warner Music Malaysia has named Dinesh Ratnam as its new managing director. He will be reporting to Chris Gobalakrishna and Jonathan Serbin, co-presidents of Warner Music Asia in this capacity. He will be a member of the regional executive team for Warner Music, where he will also play a crucial role.

Ratnam, who is based in Kuala Lumpur, will be in charge of overseeing Warner Music’s operations in Malaysia. He will oversee initiatives for strategic growth and work to improve the company’s market presence.

Ratnam offers years of experience from the content, technology, and entertainment sectors to his new role by drawing on his extensive industry background. He was part of the global expansion of iQiyi, a premium video on-demand streaming service, before he joined Warner Music.

In his time in iQiyi, he was the country manager for Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei and worked as a senior director in the international business department there. Ratnam played an important role in the expansion of iQiyi in Southeast Asia by helping to establish the company’s presence there. 

Ratnam previously held a number of key positions at iflix, a video-on-demand service. He was helping in corporate development, business management, and the expansion of iflix’s operations in Malaysia during his time there. He also worked as a director in the CEO’s Office at Catcha Group, one of Southeast Asia’s internet groups. In this role, he was in charge of the group’s technology and media investments in Southeast Asia. 

At J.P. Morgan, Ratnam started his career as an investment banker. He worked for Morgan in the San Francisco and London offices. He focused on the media, telecommunications, and technology industries and offered advisory services for a range of transactions.

Speaking about his appointment, Ratnam said, “I am honoured and excited to join Warner Music Malaysia. Music is the heartbeat of modern media, weaving together stories, experiences, and emotions in ways that resonate with audiences, making it pivotal in shaping contemporary culture. This is a remarkable opportunity to collaborate with a talented team and further elevate the visibility and success of our artists both locally and globally.” 

He added, “I firmly believe in the immense potential of Malaysian music talent to further cultivate profound influence and impact beyond just the shores of the country. I look forward to leveraging Warner Music’s rich catalogue and resources to create new avenues for growth and innovation.” 

Meanwhile, Gobalakrishna said, “With its vibrant diversity and immense talent, the Malaysian music scene serves as a vital hub for cultural exchange and artistic expression. Dinesh’s appointment signifies our dedication to nurturing this thriving ecosystem. With his wealth of experience and innovative approach, we are confident that Dinesh will play a pivotal role in amplifying the influence of Malaysian music, fostering collaboration, and unlocking new opportunities for our artists across the region.”

Serbin expressed, “We are thrilled to have Dinesh on board. His extensive experience, strategic mindset, and passion for the industry make him a valuable addition to our leadership team. We have every confidence that Dinesh will play a vital role in driving Warner Music’s continued success in Malaysia.”

Jakarta, Indonesia – Global fashion brand ALDO has appointed Dentsu Creative Indonesia to implement an innovative marketing and promotional campaign to expand its footprint in SEA beyond Indonesian borders.

This strategic collaboration marks a significant step in ALDO’s growth journey, aiming to captivate the thriving markets of the Philippines and Vietnam by leveraging Dentsu Creative’s expertise in executing these strategies.

In the partnership, Dentsu Creative will provide a comprehensive range of solutions including a creative ideation and development and a 360-degree campaign strategy, encompassing social media engagement, influencer management, in-store activations and dynamic digital out-of-home advertising as well as project management and production.

Speaking about the partnership, Wisnu Satya Putra, CEO of creative at dentsu Indonesia, said, “Our partnership with ALDO exemplifies the power of ‘gotong royong’ – the intrinsic value of collaboration and integration across services. Combining all our expertise, blended with insights into creative innovation, powered by modern creativity, we will propel ALDO’s brand presence in the competitive APAC market, and set them apart from competitors.”

Cheuk Chiang, CEO, Dentsu Creative APAC, also added, “Our partnership with a great global brand like ALDO allows us to unlock the full potential of our creative offering across earned, entertainment and experience. They are clients that truly appreciate the power of great creativity and its ability to transform brands and businesses through work that creates culture, changes society and invents the future.”

Meanwhile, Zaid Bitar, vice president, international marketing & digital at ALDO Group International, commented, “Our consumers need to know ALDO’s unique selling point: style and comfort. With Dentsu’s; expertise, our USP transforms from words into a tangible force that captures hearts, empowers choices and style through confidence for our local consumers.”

In pursuit of one’s professional aspirations, a true marketing leader is dedicated in delving deeper into the intricacies of customer dynamics within their regional leadership landscape. For an ideal leader, the true ambition is to not only comprehend the nuances of this diverse market but also to play a pivotal role in moulding their business framework into one that fosters enduring profitability through steadfast foundational principles.

For MARKETECH APAC’s second Milestone Series article, we spoke with Achint Setia, chief revenue and marketing officer at ZALORA, to share one of his greatest milestones–leading ZALORA’s marketing efforts across the Southeast Asian region, in order to contribute towards shaping ZALORA’s business model.

In this narrative, we take a look of his accomplishments within the company, what his industry insights are, and what he aspires as a marketing leader moving forward.

Challenges on leaping to a new role

Prior to joining ZALORA, Setia was previously the CXO and head, marketing and social commerce business at Indian fashion e-commerce company Myntra. He has two decades of experience across media, management consulting and technology. For him, he joined ZALORA at a time when the larger consumer tech industry, and e-commerce in particular, was going through a major transition, with the focus shifting from pure play growth towards profitability. 

When asked what was his biggest challenge as a business leader, he said that it had something to do with driving business outcomes in a very volatile macroeconomic landscape in Southeast Asia, among inflationary pressures, geo-political challenges, supply chain disruptions (with lockdowns in some markets), unprecedented consumer purchase behaviours (with the return to offline), as well as weakened employee morale from the pandemic era.

“Keeping our teams excited and motivated about the opportunity ahead, while continuing to push problem-solving and innovation in unexplored territories, has been a roller coaster thus far, but it has also been an immensely rewarding ride over the last year. Throughout this period, I am extremely thankful to be a part of a caring organisation surrounded by highly talented colleagues, and for the presence of a strong family support system to help me through this transition,” he said.

What contributions led to one

Building continued success on the company’s anniversary milestone

Setia noted that a key factor why businesses needed to calibrate nowadays is because consumers are now enticed with digital-led strategies, which include innovations like “Shoppertainment” – a portmanteau of “shop” and “entertainment” – and virtual retailing, which further diversified retail’s omnichannel ecosystem.

Citing a recent report they had, he goes on to say that consumers are becoming increasingly adept at shifting between reality and virtual landscapes – they constantly straddle between both on a daily basis. This brought on an increased demand for shopping journeys to be more humanised and personalised as they continue to discover their footing in today’s “next normal.

“Customer experience is always a key priority for me, and we still see many opportunities for us to spearhead improvements to consumers’ e-commerce experience in the region,” he said.

For ZALORA’s recent anniversary, the company launched several pop-up activations with partners like Adidas, Nike, and Trendyol, which offered immersive ‘click-and-mortar’ experiences. Citing an example, a pop-up collaboration with Adidas, called The Supermart, showcased over 90 Adidas products exclusive to ZALORA, and enabled customers to explore a supermarket-themed physical store, scan unique QR codes tagged on each item, and purchase via the ZALORA app with direct shipping to their doorstep.

Moreover, a significant portion of the company’s achievements this year can be attributed to their year-end mega campaigns such as 11.11, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and 12.12.

“We see strong performance during our shopping events, and typically enjoy three to six times the number of sales as compared to non-campaign days – last year, we saw the highest number of sales during 11.11 and 12.12 compared to any other day,” Setia also added.

He also added that the company also made significant investments and progress on customer loyalty. For the company, they revamped their subscription program, Zalora VIP, which offers free and fast shipping at no minimum spend, along with a host of privileges such as access to sales, priority customer service, and exclusive offers from their lifestyle partners for a complete VIP like experience for their subscribers. 

Aspirations of bringing more success to ZALORA

As the company’s chief revenue and marketing officer, his main objective is to drive business growth and profitability led through customer experience, assortment and post purchase experience.. For him, they are placing significant emphasis on their customer journeys and personalisation to ensure increased engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction when customers interact with ZALORA.

“This includes anticipating and addressing the growing demands of our customers by ensuring that we offer the best assortment of only authentic products from over 3,000 brands; deploying innovative omnichannel strategies–like The Supermart–to create inventive and personalised retail journeys; and adopting 27 different payment methods, including innovative options like BNPL and other digital wallets to broaden financial accessibility and inclusion for millions of SEA’s underbanked,” he explained.

He goes on to say that they also aim at expanding their platform services business to enable brands to grow their presence in the region and provide breakthrough solutions to enhance the overall customer journey.

However, Setia noted that brands venturing into overseas markets often face a multitude of challenges, and this is particularly true in Southeast Asia, a region with complex geographies, and where each country boasts its own customs, culture, religion, and language.

And yet, for him, it is also a region where e-commerce is experiencing strong growth on the back of continuing digitalisation and a rising middle class.

“The combination of ZALORA’s holistic platform services empowers our brand partners to swiftly and more effectively capture the region’s demand boom – whether it is harnessing benchmark data to understand buying behaviour and pricing insights from close to 60 million monthly platform visits with our ‘TRENDER’ data service, or boosting brand visibility through targeted content, onsite campaigns, influencer marketing, insights, and analytics through our ZALORA advertising platform (ZAP), or even tapping onto our comprehensive supply chain infrastructure and state-of-the-art logistics capabilities across different markets, through our fulfilment services,” he added.

When asked what he wants to continue doing as part of ZALORA, Setia says he wants to go deeper with his customer understanding in Southeast Asia, as well as contribute towards ZALORA’s business model.

“My personal passions include investments in building deeply segmented experiences using advanced analytics, along with driving a multi-channel engagement ecosystem to inspire customers to shop at the convenience of their fingertips,” he said.

This piece is published under MARKETECH APAC’s content series ‘Milestones’, which celebrates the different milestones and achievements of industry leaders across the Asia-Pacific region. Please reach out to [email protected] for more information.

Singapore – Around 23% of market share in 2022 will be accounted for by insurgent disruptors as Southeast Asian consumers’ find ways to satisfy their unmet needs and evolving preferences, a report by Meta, Bain & Company, and DSG Consumer Partners revealed.

The report reveals that there is an emerging new hierarchy of wants and needs for consumers in Southeast Asia.

Almost 39% of consumers indicated a reduction in their average spend in the past year, citing top concerns around economic stability (63%), and cost of living (58%). Alcohol and electronics experienced the largest drop in spending, while food, personal care, and wellness categories remained resilient.

However, despite the reduced spending, the report observed a reprioritization of what is perceived as needs versus wants for consumers. What consumers previously considered luxuries like eating out every week, branded apparel, and the latest gadgets have moved into what is now seen as new ‘needs’. Social media was also cited as the top essential category and streaming as the rising essential category across income levels.

With some wants slowly transitioning into new needs, the report also unveiled some interesting data emerging in the Southeast Asian workforce.

According to the report, Gen Zs and solo entrepreneurs are becoming important cohorts to engage with as SEA’s working population is set to increase by 24 million people by 2030.

The rising incomes and growing middle and upper middle classes are causing the region to move closer to a consumption inflection point, which will accelerate the trajectory of consumption growth. And Gen Zs and single households are two particular consumer segments driving this growth.

Around 23% of Gen Zs comprise the total Southeast Asian population, while the solo economy, made up of single households, is growing, driven by three key demographic groups: older singles, young professionals, and young urban migrants.

The shifts in household sizes are expected to be most pronounced in the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, which are expected to see a 20% increase in single households by 2030.

Additionally, the report revealed that Gen Zs value individuality, authenticity, and identity more than other generations. They are not just digital-centric but highly engaged in the digital community, messaging businesses an average of eight times a month, and 82% of them said they are part of an online community.

However, older generations are also quickly catching up in terms of experimenting with new technology. Data from the survey reports reveals that AI is powering personalisation across generations.

With all generations in the region spending more time online and experimenting with new technologies such as AI, VR, and healthtech, businesses in SEA should have an idea of how they can successfully engage with their consumers.

The report showed that businesses in Southeast Asia are beginning to use AI for marketing purposes and to address region-specific issues. Almost 73% of business leaders surveyed recognised the opportunities from AI. However, they also admitted that they were not prepared to seize them.

Nevertheless, once businesses can focus on personalised marketing and invest in AI-powered and AI-enabled tools to facilitate personalisation on a large scale, they will be able to effectively reach Southeast Asian consumers and drive a strong ROI.

However, the most interesting data the report captured is the emergence of insurgent disruptors or brands that are new to the market but are growing five times quicker in revenue versus their category growth rate.

These insurgent disruptors are now responsible for US$52b in revenue in Southeast Asia alone and accounted for 23% of the market share in 2022. Among the top categories where insurgent disruptors have successfully gained market share are beauty, personal care, and packaged food.

Praneeth Yendamuri, partner at Bain & Company, said, “Southeast Asia as a region has demonstrated resilience amidst the global slowdown and consumer sentiment is rebounding in most markets. This is a great opportunity for businesses to address the needs of approximately 700 million consumers in a USD $4T economy that is forecasted to grow at 4.6% to 2030 (vs. 2.7% globally).”

He added, “SEA has repeatedly shown its importance as part of investors’ portfolios with significant global valuation and profit and loss impact. To take the region to its full potential, bold moves are required: relooking at your SEA ambitions by prioritising, sequencing, and, most importantly, funding them. Companies should also form an obsession with local consumers and evolve operating models to be locally responsive, balancing the incumbent scale advantage with the disruptive insurgent mindset.”

Speaking on the report, Benjamin Joe, vice president for Southeast Asia and emerging markets at Meta, also commented, “AI is powering better experiences for people, and it’s powering better outcomes for businesses. At Meta, we’re combining our AI-powered discovery engine with the social connection that has always been the core of our platforms to deliver more relevant, entertaining, and locally attuned experiences. With new tools capable of big impact, it’s no surprise that marketers across Southeast Asia are already starting to lean into AI to drive more impactful engagement and performance.”

“Embracing AI is now more crucial than ever for businesses aiming to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape of Southeast Asia,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sameer Mehta, head of Southeast Asia at DSG Consumer Partners, also shared, “Insurgent disruptors are new brands less than 10 years old that have demonstrated strong market share growth. With ‘wants’ transitioning into ‘needs’ and dissatisfaction with what the incumbent brands provide, it is no surprise that Southeast Asian consumers are choosing insurgent disruptors to satisfy their unmet needs and evolving expectations.”

Manila, Philippines – Colgate-Palmolive is speaking out against smile shaming on World Smile Day Through its #FreeYourSmile campaign, which aims to highlight the value and beauty of every smile.

This initiative is important because of the benefits that smiles provide to society’s health, mental well-being, and social cohesion. The region-wide campaign marks the start of Colgate’s efforts to address this complex issue for society and promote tangible positive changes.

Smile shame is associated with various traits in various markets, reflecting various perspectives on what makes a beautiful smile. The arrangement of one’s teeth is primarily associated with Smile Shame in the Philippines, scoring significantly higher than other possible associations.

#FreeYourSmile is the first step in Colgate’s journey to promote all smiles and combat Smile Shame, with more initiatives in the works. This movement represents Colgate’s desire to encourage people to express themselves confidently and openly, regardless of perceived flaws.

Colgate launched an independent study across the Asia Pacific region to combat smile shame and promote the benefits of smiling in society. Colgate commissioned the Colgate Smile Study 2023, which revealed that 94% of respondents across Asia express a strong desire to be able to smile more openly. The Philippines, along with Taiwan and Thailand, tops this list, with 98% of respondents indicating an eagerness to smile without inhibitions.

In the Philippines, 95% of people believe they have the freedom to smile whenever they want, but 18% refrain because they are self-conscious about the appearance of their smile, which is in line with the Asia Pacific average.

Speaking about the campaign, Yves Briantais, executive vice president, marketing Asia-Pacific, Colgate-Palmolive said, “Smile Shame is especially prevalent in Asia Pacific and this must change. At Colgate, we are on a mission to free people from the constraints of Smile Shame to truly embrace their own unique smiles. We believe brands have the power to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and promote authenticity. This World Smile Day®, Colgate is leading the charge by celebrating all smiles.”

Indonesia – Wunderman Thompson has named Samir Gupte as the new chief executive officer for its operations in Indonesia. 

Gupte comes from Ogilvy, where he most recently served as executive director and head of operations, and brings with him more than 25 years of experience within WPP.

Gupte spent 23 years with Ogilvy, dividing his time between Indonesia and India. He moved from India to Indonesia in 2013 and began working for OgilvyAction as the managing director. He led in the merger that created Geometry Global at this time. He made a transition to SohoSquare, Ogilvy’s second integrated agency, later in 2016.

After serving in that capacity for two years, Gupte was appointed managing director of Ogilvy Indonesia. In this role, he oversaw client interactions and built a diverse, effective team. The agency acquired clients during his leadership, including Kimberly-Clark Softex, Converse, Sunpride, and Asian Paints. 

Speaking about his new role, Gupte said, “I am really excited about this next chapter in my career. Having worked very closely with Wunderman Thompson teams on key clients like Nestle and Unilever, I am aware of the sheer talent and the potential that exists within the agency. The current leadership team has done a great job of consolidating the different services within the agency. My focus now will be to strengthen our capabilities in CX, data, content and ecommerce, and drive growth for our clients in Indonesia.”

Meanwhile, Audrey Kuah, APAC CEO of Wunderman Thompson, remarked, “Samir brings vast integrated marketing experience growing some of the world’s largest brands in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. His expertise in integrating brand, digital, data and technology, combined with his growth ambition for us, we are pleased to have Samir join our leadership team.”