Staff Reporters
Apr 7, 2025

Move and win roundup: Week of April 7, 2025

Catch up on our weekly roundup of people moves and pitch wins, with the latest updates from Droga5 ANZ, Dentsu, Hearts & Science, Connecting Plots, LEVO, OMG, TBWA\Sydney, electriclime°, The Sandpiper Group, Google Cloud, Hakuhodo, Accenture Song and more.

Campaign compiles a new 'Move and win roundup' as each week progresses. 
This edition will cover April 7 through April 11, 2025.
Catch up on past people moves and business wins
 
Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, has appointed Kit Lansdell as its new head of effectiveness. With 25 years of experience in advertising agencies across Australia and the UK, including The Monkeys (now Droga5), Clemenger BBDO, Leagas Delaney, and Grey London, Lansdell has developed strategies for iconic brands like Adidas, Audi, Coca-Cola, and the United Nations. At The Monkeys, Lansdell helped secure multiple effectiveness awards, including The Australian Effie Awards Effective Agency of the Year for three consecutive years. He believes in the power of creativity and effectiveness, and his expertise is expected to drive Droga5's future success in delivering impactful campaigns.
 
Valerie Pinto is set to join APCO as the managing director of its India offices and executive director of Corporate, Asia. Previously, she served as the CEO of Weber Shandwick India, where she led teams in developing creative solutions through campaign planning and a content-first approach. In her new role at APCO, Pinto will focus on developing strategic business for corporate clients across Asia, working closely with global corporate team leaders to expand corporate business and secure new opportunities.
 
EssenceMediacom Australia has appointed Maddison Keogh as APAC client managing partner for Uber. The appointment comes after EssenceMediacom was reappointed by Uber in 2024, when the Australian agency took on an expanded remit working across the APAC region. Keogh brings more than 14 years’ experience in client leadership and media management. Most recently, she was head of client service for Initiative Sydney.

Effie APAC has announced two heads of jury for this year's competition: Anthony Wong, Accenture’s managing director and growth services lead for Greater China, and marketing advisory lead for APAC; and Vishnu Mohan, Dept’s partner and CEO. With a background that traverses Publicis Groupe, Shangri-La Group, and Ogilvy, Wong is no stranger to the APAC Effies, having served in various jury roles since the founding of the awards programme, most notably as awards chair in 2017. In his three-decade-long career, Mohan has spent over 25 years with the Havas/Vivendi Group while working in India, China, Singapore, and the UK. He left as its chairman and CEO for the region in 2021 and founded Avyan Holdings in 2021.

Dentsu has appointed Amit Wadhwa as CEO, Dentsu Creative & Media Brands, South Asia, and Anita Kotwani as chief client officer, South Asia. Both will jointly report to Harsha Razdan, CEO of South Asia, and Prerna Mehrotra, CCO and CEO, media, APAC. Wadhwa was most recently CEO of Dentsu Creative India. Kotwani was previously CEO of Dentsu Media, South Asia. Campaign India has more details.

Hearts & Science, an Omnicom Media Group agency, has expanded into Hong Kong with the appointment of Doris Kuok as managing partner. Kuok, who brings over 20 years of industry experience across sectors like beauty, FMCG, and luxury and was most recently managing partner at OMG Hong Kong, will oversee operations, strategy, and client relationships. Her appointment follows Hearts & Science's recent win of AS Watson's media mandate in Hong Kong, highlighting the agency's continued growth in APAC. Kuok's role is set to be pivotal in establishing Hearts & Science in Hong Kong, leveraging OMG's platform model to drive impactful results for clients. This move builds on the agency's momentum since its APAC launch in 2019, which includes recent leadership changes such as the appointment of Rochelle Chhaya as APAC CEO.

Connecting Plots has appointed Katie Eastment as its new head of PR. Eastment brings over a decade of experience in earned, influencer, and social media from her previous role as group account director at The Impact Agency, where she worked with clients like Nestlé and Modibodi.
 
Britannia Industries, an Indian FMCG company, has appointed Mumbai-based Tilt Brand Solutions as its brand and communications agency on record for its cakes, rusk, bread, and croissant portfolio. Tilt's primary task is to develop a brand strategy that enhances consumer relationships for Britannia's adjacency business.
 
Greater Bank has partnered with independent creative agency It's Friday to develop a new brand platform and vision. This appointment follows a competitive pitch, reflecting Greater Bank's ambition to enhance its brand presence. 

Hakuhodo has named Takeji Yamauchi as its new managing director and country head for Malaysia. He takes over from Ryusuke Oda, who has stepped down after a seven-year tenure to assume the role of chief marketing officer at Japanese sports retail brand Himaraya. With more than 25 years in the Hakuhodo network, Yamauchi has held leadership roles across Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and China. Before this role, he was the regional director for Hakuhodo, based in Japan and China. He was also previously the country head and managing director for Hakuhodo Indonesia. 

Global fan engagement agency Engage Digital Partners, part of media, marketing and technology company Brave Bison, has promoted Ollie Trenchard to growth director, APAC, as the agency looks to expand its footprint across Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region. In this new role, he will drive Engage’s growth across Australasia and APAC, leveraging his decade of experience working with rights-holders, federations, and sponsors in the sports industry. He will also spearhead the integration of Brave Bison’s performance services and SocialChain’s influencer marketing expertise into Engage’s offerings.

Viddsee has announced its continued Southeast Asia expansion with the appointment of Jay Murali as group business director to lead its entry into the Malaysian market. Murali brings over 20 years of experience in advertising, digital marketing, branding, and business development. This expansion follows the recent launch of Viddsee’s operations in Thailand, led by industry Venus Romsaitong.

Korean skincare brand Laneige has appointed Filter Coffee Co as its digital and social media agency for India. The agency will oversee digital strategy and content creation including design and photoshoots, influencer marketing, events, and ecommerce assets. Filter Coffee Co plans to elevate Laneige India’s digital presence through a multi-platform, insight-driven strategy focused on increasing awareness, fostering engagement, and creating trending content. 

Levo, Clemenger Group's strategy and transformation consultancy, has appointed Catherine Hooson as practice director, experience strategy, and Mark Dalton as executive creative director. Hooson brings over two decades of experience in transforming customer and employee experiences for major brands and government organisations, having held leadership roles at Deloitte Digital, Accenture, and CHEP Network. Dalton, an award-winning creative leader with over 20 years of experience, joins from Clemenger BBDO Wellington, where he was previously executive creative director. 

Omnicom Media Group has announced several key promotions within its Australian operations. Marelle Salib, who has been with OMD for 14 years, has been promoted to chief media partnerships officer at OMG, replacing Kristiaan Kroon following his promotion to COO. Jane Combes will take over Salib's previous role as chief media partnerships officer at OMD. Additionally, Simon Flaxman will expand his responsibilities as chief commercial officer to include content, research, and data, building on his success with OMG Connect and OMnet. Alex Pacey continues to lead as chief product officer, focusing on leveraging Omnicom's Omni platform. These promotions reflect OMG's commitment to nurturing internal talent and positioning itself for future growth. Salib, Flaxman, and Pacey will join the OMG Australian Executive Committee.
 
Electriclime has signed director Joe Connor to its roster on an exclusive basis for the MENA and APAC regions. Hailing from the north of England, Connor is known for his cinematic storytelling, having worked with top brands like Land Rover, Louis Vuitton, and Volvo, as well as celebrities such as Emma Stone and Blackpink's Lisa. He has also directed music videos for notable artists like Harry Styles, Sam Smith, The Rolling Stones, and Coldplay. 
 
Australian discount department store chain Big W has appointed 72andSunny as its new creative agency partner, replacing M&C Saatchi Group. 72andSunny will develop Big W's brand and creative strategy, creating integrated retail and brand campaigns across various channels. This partnerships follows 72andSunny's other new business wins such as the AFL, Deputy, and Cadillac. 

Publicis Groupe South Asia has named Paritosh Srivastava as CEO of BBH India in addition to his current roles as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi India and Saatchi Propagate India, and his position on the Publicis Groupe South Asia leadership team. Joining him on the BBH India leadership team is Snehasis Bose, who has been appointed group chief strategy officer. He will continue to serve in his strategic leadership roles at both Saatchi & Saatchi India and Saatchi Propagate India. More details are available at Campaign India.

VML has appointed Jeff Geheb as CEO of VML Enterprise Solutions, the agency’s $1.5 billion technology and transformation division, uniting VML’s technology transformation, commerce, customer experience and consulting capabilities and leveraging the strength of WPP Open's AI-driven operating system. Geheb will continue to report to Jon Cook, Global CEO. He joined the company in 2003 and has since held several key roles, including chief technology officer and global chief experience officer at VMLY&R. Most recently, he served as global executive lead of Enterprise Solutions at VML.
 
TBWA Sydney has appointed Matt Keon as its new chief creative officer. Keon joins a leadership lineup that includes Elektra O'Malley as managing director and Michael Hogg as chief strategy officer, with Josh Taylor Dadds also joining as head of strategy. Keon brings extensive experience from leading agencies like BMF Australia, Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore, and Fallon London, with notable awards including a BAFTA, a Guinness World Record, and multiple Cannes Lions. He co-founded 18 Feet & Rising, a fast-growing UK agency, and has worked across sectors such as healthcare, AI, and genomics. 
 
The Sandpiper Group has appointed Simon Buckby as managing director of its global government and public affairs division, headquartered in Singapore. Buckby brings over 30 years of experience in strategic communications and public affairs, having worked in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and the UK. He is joined by Dr Craig Wilkie, who will focus on strategic content, policy, and intelligence. Together, they will support clients across sectors like finance, healthcare, technology, and energy, leveraging Sandpiper's network across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. 
 
Optus is currently pitching its media account as part of a routine contractual review, according to Australian trade media. The incumbent agency, IPG's UM, has held the account for eight years and recently appointed Matt Evans as managing partner to lead the Optus account. Optus conducts these reviews every three years to ensure alignment with its values and to achieve high-quality outcomes that meet its evolving business needs. Meanwhile, Emotive remains Optus' creative agency.

Erin Silvoy, a seasoned Starbucks marketer with over 11 years at the company, has transitioned from Asia Pacific back to Seattle to take on a new role as senior vice president and president of global channel development. Silvoy announced the career move on LinkedIn. Silvoy was promoted to senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Starbucks China in September 2023, a position where she oversaw marketing strategies for one of the company's most critical growth markets. Her journey with the coffee major began in 2012 as a strategy manager based in the Greater Seattle Area. In 2019, Silvoy relocated to Singapore as vice president of marketing and product for Asia-Pacific. In this role, she led brand marketing, digital customer experience, product innovation, category management, strategy, and insights across more than 5,000 stores in 15 markets across the region. With her move back to Seattle, Silvoy will oversee Starbucks’ global channel development and expand on the brand’s presence through consumer packaged goods, ready-to-drink products, and other retail channels worldwide. Silvy was named in Campaign's list of most influential Asia Pacific CMO's in 2023

Thomas Mouritzen, long-time managing director of Accenture Song, Southeast Asia, has retired after 11 years in the role. In a recent LinkedIn post, Mouritzen did not reveal his next move but expressed gratitude to his team and Accenture, noting that he will be “taking on select projects.” Mouritzen joined Accenture SEA in 2014. Prior to that, he spent over a decade at Ogilvy, where he served as Managing Director of OgilvyOne Singapore. Earlier in his career, he joined Accenture Denmark as a senior management consultant.

Google Cloud has appointed Hana Raja as country manager of its business in Malaysia. Raja reports to Serene Sia, country director, Malaysia and Singapore, Google Cloud. She joins Google Cloud following leadership roles at Cisco and Bain & Company, bringing more than 16 years of experience advising and partnering with executive leadership teams across financial services, retail, consumer packaged goods, healthcare, automotive, energy and utilities, and the public sector.

Ryusuke Oda, former country manager and managing director for Hakuhodo Malaysia, has stepped down from his role and returned to Japan to join Japanese sports retail brand Himaraya as chief marketing officer. Oda has been with Hakuhodo since 1997, holding various roles across Japan, China, and Malaysia. He began leading the agency’s Malaysia operations in 2017, serving in the role for over seven years.

Source:
Campaign Asia

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