Staff Reporters
Dec 20, 2012

Edelman's David Brain to oversee Middle East and Africa in addition to Asia-Pacific

GLOBAL - Edelman has added oversight of Africa and the Middle East to the responsibilities of David Brain, currently president and CEO of Asia-Pacific.

David Brain
David Brain

Brain will continue to report to Matthew J Harrington, Edelman's global chief operating officer.

According to the public relations firm, the realignment of these two markets reflects emerging business trends and will be effective with the firm's new fiscal year starting 1 July 2013. 
 
“As global markets grow and change, we continually examine how we shape our global path forward and make the right strategic adjustments for our clients and for our people,” said Richard Edelman, the firm’s president and CEO. “Increasingly our clients are structuring themselves against growth opportunities prompted by ever-increasing trade flows between Africa, the Middle East and Asia. We are looking to capitalise on this trend by organising ourselves in a similar fashion. David’s leadership strength and overall experience in emerging markets will be essential to our pan-Asia growth strategy.”
 
Scaling the region in this way allows the network to focus investment in more practice and specialist experts in the sub-regions, commented Brain. "Clients are demanding both excellence in market understanding and execution as well as deep industry and specialist knowledge."
 
Edelman also made the following organisational changes which will likewise be effective next July. 
 
Bob Grove, currently managing director of Southeast Asia, based in Singapore, will be based in Hong Kong and will be given oversight of North Asia including China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
 
Iain Twine, currently general manager of Middle East and Africa, will move to Singapore and manage operations in Southeast Asia and Australia (including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia). 
 
Robert Holdheim, who is currently managing director of India based in Delhi, will lead India, Africa and Middle East markets. 
 
All three will report to Brain.
 
“Over the past four years, our operations in India have quadrupled, Abu Dhabi has grown seven-fold, and Singapore has grown 80 per cent, all positioning Edelman for success in these markets,” said Harrington. “Now with a greater sub-region focus, we will be able to bring the same value to newer high-growth markets such as Africa and parts of the Middle East.”
 
Over in Europe, Susan Eastoe, who has been leading the region as interim head, will focus more on emerging markets Russia and Turkey. 
 
“We’re equally pleased to introduce over the last several months new leadership with Kerry Irwin in Moscow and Serra Türk Büyükfirat in Istanbul,” said Harrington. “We are optimistic about the continued growth prospects all of these moves bring to our firm and our clients in Europe and Asia.”
Source:
Campaign Asia

Related Articles

Just Published

1 day ago

Agency Report Card 2024: Ogilvy

Ogilvy APAC celebrated a strong creative year in 2024, clinching top regional honours at Cannes Lions. Yet operational headwinds, particularly in China, tested its resilience and reshaped its growth strategy.

1 day ago

Campaign Global Agency of the Year Awards 2024: ...

Ogilvy and UM win global network of the year awards for creative and media respectively, while Special agency in New Zealand earns Asia-Pacific network of the year.

1 day ago

Apple Watch’s heart story strikes a chord in Japan

Apple’s new Japan campaign tells the real-life story of a heavy metal fan whose Apple Watch alerts help detect a life-threatening heart condition just in time.

1 day ago

2025 Cannes Contenders: RGA creatives weigh in

A ubiquitous surname, a sexually transmitted infection, the printing of memories and an animal god that helps gamers might all bring fame glory to campaigns in Cannes next week.