Aegis Media Pacific brings Jumptank to Asia, appoints Google executive Justin Baird

The unit will be helmed by Kristian Barnes, chief commercial officer, and has hired former Google “innovationist” Justin Baird as group innovation director.

The Jumptank team also includes Richard Chapman, founder of PR agency Spark and experiential agency Impact, as group integration director; former MPG strategist Ben Cunnington as group strategy director; and Jon White as group business development director. The unit will also have a dedicated creative director and graphic designer.

The unit brings together a team with diverse experience and talents, with the aim of acting as a catalyst for innovation, according to Luke Littlefield, Aegis Media Pacific’s chief executive officer. The launch of Jumptank is significant in that it shows the company’s commitment to delivering innovation and continuously improving its way of working, he added.

Baird has been with Google since 2007, during which time he participated in launching local YouTube portals and helped launch the first Android devices in the region, according to his own website. His career includes a wide range of past experience, including audio R&D and product design as well as software development.

Jumptank already exists as a business unit in the US, with offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.