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Bengt JonssonIrdeto, the world leader in digital platform security, announced the appointment of Bengt Jonsson as Senior Vice President of Global Sales.

Jonsson joined Irdeto as Vice President Sales, Asia Pacific in July 2008. He was responsible for sales in six regions, including China, Japan, North Asia, South Asia, South East Asia and Australia/New Zealand. Now, he will lead Irdeto’s sales and account management teams worldwide. He is responsible for developing key accounts, fueling new business acquisition and offering Irdeto’s full breadth of 360 security solutions and services to current customers.

Prior to joining Irdeto, Bengt was CEO of LyngBox Media AB, a Swedish hybrid set-top box start-up, and has also held senior management positions with Thomson's Client Device business unit in Asia and with Nokia's multimedia business units in Asia and Europe. Jonsson is based out of the company’s global headquarters in Hoofddorp, Netherlands.

 


 

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) just announced executive appointments within the company’s management team in Asia Pacific, which will be effective 1 October 2016.

Paras SharmaParas Sharma, previously Senior Vice President of MTV, Comedy Central & Paramount Channel brands, and Digital Media for Asia, will take on the position of Senior Vice President & General Manager for Southeast Asia (SEA), and will continue to report directly to Mark Whitehead, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, VIMN Asia Pacific. With a new focused leadership for the SEA team, Sharma will oversee the management and operations of the SEA business, identify new growth opportunities and develop VIMN’s strategic plan in SEA. He will remain as the Asia lead for VIMN’s digital and multiplatform business. Over the last two years in Asia, Sharma has delivered a strong track record with high ratings growth for MTV and Comedy Central, introduced Paramount Channel, led the premiere of Nickelodeon Play in Singapore with Singtel, launched Comedy Central’s first Asia original production with Comedy Central Stand-Up Asia! and worked closely with VIMN Japan to launch the first Linear OTT channel MTV Hits in Japan.

Simon BatesSimon Bates, Vice President of MTV, Comedy Central & Spike brands for Australia and New Zealand, is appointed Vice President, Head of MTV Asia Pacific, and Comedy Central and Spike for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Bates will dual report to Whitehead for his MTV regional role and to Ben Richardson, Senior Vice President and General Manager in ANZ for his local brand leadership over MTV, Comedy Central and Spike. He will lead the brand teams across Asia Pacific to grow the MTV brand and drive synergies across the different lines of businesses and platforms to support revenue growth across Asia Pacific, besides maintaining brand leadership for Comedy Central and Spike in ANZ. Bates led MTV to its best year ever in Australia this year with record TV ratings and online engagement. He oversaw a busy year of portfolio expansion with the launch of Comedy Central online, and the premieres of Comedy Central and Spike on Fetch TV. Furthermore, he was credited with the development of hit social-series #MTVItGirls and the localization of UK-developed franchises Club MTV and MTV Brand New. Recently, Bates and his Sydney-based team took home two ASTRA Industry Excellence Award wins.


Kirsty Bloore
Kirsty Bloore
, Research Director for ANZ, is promoted to Senior Director, Research for Asia Pacific. Bloore will report to Amit Arora, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Asia Pacific and to Richardson for ANZ research support. With more than two decades of media and research experience, she will provide the businesses with regional consumer and commercial insights, brands’ performance reporting and forecasting. Bloore has been instrumental in building recognition of the ANZ business as a leader in consumer insights by sharing key studies with the market.

 


 

rajnishWunderman announced the appointment of Rajnish Suneja as its Client Services Director for Wunderman Singapore to further the agency’s growth ambitions in the region.

With over 20 years of experience managing multiple marquee brands across India and Singapore, Suneja will play a key role in boosting Wunderman Singapore’s business growth and will be tasked with developing new and existing client relationships, fostering agency talent and championing creative excellence at the agency. Suneja will report to Group Managing Director of Wunderman Singapore, Neeraj Sundarajoo.

Prior to joining Wunderman, Suneja served as the Group Regional Business Director at BBDO where he was instrumental in both business growth and creative success for brands including HP, Aviva, FedEx and Bosch. Before that, he has also helped build successful campaigns for clients such as American Express and IBM during his tenure at OgilvyOne.

 


 

Jack Ma, the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, the largest online and mobile commerce company in the world, has been named Special Adviser to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for Youth Entrepreneurship and Small Business.

UNCTAD assists governments in developing countries to promote enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and young entrepreneurs, so that they are able to compete in the global economy.

In his new role as UNCTAD Special Adviser, Jack Ma will champion initiatives to make it easier for young entrepreneurs and small businesses to make business, to participate in global trade, as well as raise awareness about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

He brings without doubts expertise, results and vision to the role. In 1999, he created Alibaba, recognizing the power of the internet to level the playing field for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and today there are more than 10 million small businesses in China operating on Alibaba’s marketplaces. His proposed concept of the “eWTP” (Electronic World Trade Platform), a way to bring small and medium-sized enterprises more fully into the global economy, was included in the official communiqué of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, in September 2016.

Jack Ma, who is also a United Nations Advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals, a leading philanthropist and teacher, is also an active advisor to multiple governments and business institutions globally and member of the International Advisory Council to the Singapore Economic Development Board. In 2014, he was elected to the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum.

 


 

Felicia HuTableau Software announced the appointment of Felicia Hu as the company’s new APAC Communications Manager.

Based in Tableau’s APAC headquarters and Singapore office, Hu is responsible for media, public and analyst relations across Asia Pacific. She brings with her almost a decade of regional experience in communications. She has built a strong foundation in communications programme planning and execution, media relations and social media campaigns.

Prior to Tableau, Hu gained experience at WE Communications, working on key accounts and regional public relations programs across seven markets. She worked on influencer engagement programmes, as well as the development of social and digital content strategies. Her client portfolio included a wide range of consumer and healthcare brands. Hu held the role of Healthcare Communications Lead at Singapore Medical Group Limited before that.

Hu holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies and English Language from the Singapore Institute of Management, as well as a Diploma in Biomedical Science from Republic Polytechnic.

 


 

The global digital agency Wunderman announced that Acceleration, the premier marketing technology consultancy, has become a part of its network. The move reinforces Wunderman's ability to deliver data and technology consulting and extends its offer into end-to-end digital transformation services.

jacques van niekerkAcceleration, which joined WPP in 2012, helps its clients to develop ground-breaking digital strategies and to design and implement the supporting data and technology infrastructure behind them. The combined offer will allow Wunderman to provide its clients with seamless digital transformation that starts with strategy development and runs through to the creation of campaigns and experiences that drive concrete business results. The two companies have worked closely on a number of client assignments around the world.

stephan pretoriusJacques Van Niekerk and Stephan Pretorius , the founders of Acceleration, will be taking on new roles within Wunderman. Jacques will become CEO of Wunderman Data, the division of Wunderman that offers data management, data services and analytics. He brings more than 20 years of experience building media, technology and data related businesses around the world and will focus on developing Wunderman Data's offer globally.

Stephan Pretorius will become Chief Technology Officer of Wunderman and will leverage his experience working with technology companies to advise clients on technology solutions, as well as working with Wunderman's own technology partners, including Adobe, Marketo, Google, Microsoft and Salesforce, among others. Acceleration will be joining Wunderman Data and will continue to operate as a standalone brand and agnostic advisor to its clients. Grant Keller , currently Acceleration's North America CEO, will be stepping up to become its new global CEO.

 


 

MikeSoftware AG announced the appointment of Mike Slater as Chief Operating Officer for Software AG’s Asia Pacific and Japan region and the promotion of Anneliese Schulz in the new role of Vice President of Software AG’s Asia region. In their new roles, they will be responsible for managing and strengthening Software AG’s operations and business initiatives in their respective regions.

AnnelieseThese appointments come at a time when Software AG is experiencing exceptional growth in the region as a result of its partnership ecosystem, cutting edge innovation and go-to-market strategy. Software AG will continue to spearhead digitalization in Asia Pacific and Japan and help build the digital economy in the region. Under the new leadership, the company will grow its focus in the region, arming enterprises with enhanced technology solutions that are inline with the evolving technology and business landscape.

Software AG offers the first end-to-end Digital Business Platform, based on open standards, with integration, process management, in-memory data, adaptive application development, real-time analytics and enterprise architecture management as core building blocks. The modular platform allows users to develop the next generation of application systems to build their digital future, today.

 


 

CEM Asia received a record-breaking 85 entries across 7 awards categories this year and celebrated the outstanding winners.

“As customer expectations in the region continue to increase and evolve, Asia’s organizations are becoming more creative and attentive in their delivery of great customer experience’, Ann Liu, Awards Director at CEM Asia said.

She congratulated all winners of the 2016 Excellence in Customer Experience Awards, announced during the awards gala dinner on 6 September 2016 at the 4th Customer Experience Management Asia Summit.

The winners of the 2016 Excellence in Customer Experience Awards are:

  • Best Customer Experience Award - OCBC Bank and Singtel
  • Best Customer Experience Team - Orchard Turn Developments Pte Ltd
  • Best Contact Centre – Singtel
  • Best Social Media Strategy - HP Customer Support APJ Contact Center
  • Best Digital Experience – ZALORA
  • Best use of CEM Technology - Singtel
  • Best Employee Engagement - DBS Bank Singapore


This year, the top award of the evening, ‘Best Customer Experience’ went surprisingly to both OCBC Bank and Singtel, since according to the judges both were exceptional. “OCBC step-changed banking for the younger generation and had a brilliant program in engaging their customers through multiple channels while Singtel adopted a holistic customer framework that offers robust end-to-end customer experience”, the jury explained, why they couldn’t make a choice.

The Excellence in Customer Experience Awards is born out of the simple vision to create an event honoring the highest level of achievement in customer experience across the Asian community and pay tribute to teams, organizations and role models that lead the way.

 


 

HH Global Ltd., an independent marketing execution partner to prominent brands in 34 countries, announced the appointment of several key executives to new or expanded roles and the opening of two new offices to meet growing demand for the company’s services in the region.

The company offers innovative and tailored outsourced procurement solutions for all types of printed marketing materials, packaging, and creative production services that drive down cost, speed time to market, improve quality, and increase sustainability. Every HH Global solution includes HHub, a best-in-class marketing execution application, access to an expansive list of suppliers, proprietary processes, and the deep expertise of over 750 employees. The company also operates HH Labs, the center of its innovation program, that brings fresh, new ideas to clients.

Andrew Price, Chief Executive Officer, Asia-Pacific said: “With turnover growth of seventy-two percent in our last fiscal year, demand is expanding in this region for our outsourced procurement and creative production solutions. We continue to deliver significant, measured cost savings to large multi-nationals while managing the challenges of their complex supply chains for printed marketing materials, packaging, and creative production. In response to this growth, I made several key leadership changes that will result in improved support to all our clients.”

The leadership appointments include two seasoned executives joining HH Global, Stewart Hardy and Judy Wong. Hardy will lead implementation and continuous improvement and Wong will serve as regional financial controller. Gaining new or expanded assignments are Weini Wang, promoted to Managing Director, China and Taiwan, Chris Reynolds, appointed General Manager, Hong Kong, and Stuart Helmore, named Head of Marketing Services for the region. It was previously announced that Bradford Owen joined the regional leadership team as Senior Vice President, Business Development. All of these leaders will report to Price and the appointments are effective immediately.

The Australia and New Zealand markets grew with the addition of four new clients, including Volkswagen Australia and Mars. As a result, new offices opened this year in Melbourne, and Auckland, New Zealand, according to Marc Flior, HH Global Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand.

 


 

Peter LambertEditShare, a technology leader in intelligent shared storage and media management solutions, announced the appointment of Peter Lambert to Worldwide Sales Director.

Peter is an industry business development executive with more than 25 years of experience, who recently held the director of sales position for EditShare’s successful APAC region. His deep knowledge of media workflows extends back to early in his career, working as an audio engineer at the BBC. On the forefront of digital technology, Lambert understands both the evolution of the industry and the needs of the customers.

Peter joined EditShare in 2014. His hands-on approach and exceptional knowledge of emerging digital technologies including audio, digital intermediate and enterprise storage, have enabled him to help build some of the most influential broadcast and post-production software development companies. Previous roles include VP of Sales and Marketing at Bright Systems, Chairman of Nucoda (Digital Vision) and Country Manager for Avid Technology UK.

 


 

REDCouch RGBRed Agency, a PR agency wholly owned by Havas and has taken on the former Havas Worldwide Siren PR operation, opens its first international office in Singapore.

The integrated public relations consultancy has been founded in January 2010 and then acquired by the Havas Group in November 2011. Red Agency Singapore will focus on PR, social media and content marketing, to drive agile and innovative solutions for clients in the market.

The move takes advantage of a realignment of talent and capabilities within the Havas Village in Singapore. The agency will look to bring the same success to the market that it has achieved in Australia with an overriding ambition to create campaigns that are 'deliberately shareable', powered by data and insights from the collective might of the Havas Village proposition.

Red Agency Singapore will manage an already existing cross-industry client roster that includes Sony, Brocade, Sophos, TD Ameritrade, Tokio Marine, Sanofi-Aventis, Air France-KLM and UD Trucks. Additionally, a number of new clients will be announced in the coming weeks.

Red Agency in Singapore will be led by Allanjit Singh, who will retain his role as Managing Director, as well as Head of Social for the Havas Creative Group, allowing both entities to feed off synergies in strategic planning, ideation and performance measurement.

The team will collaborate closely with Havas Village sister agencies Havas Media and Havas Worldwide locally to deliver on the global Havas Together strategy, an aggressive integration of creative, media, PR and digital.

Red Agency will now have offices in Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The new team in Singapore will also feed off Red Agency's specialist divisions in Red Guerilla, its brand experience arm, and #RedSocial, its social strategy and community execution team.

 


 

SnrMgt 300 JeromeSabre Corporation has named Jerome Thil vice president of marketing for Sabre Travel Network Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, Jerome will lead marketing for Sabre Travel Network’s GDS and travel distribution technology solutions, serving agencies and suppliers across Asia Pacific. He reports to Wade Jones, senior vice president of marketing and strategy for Sabre Travel Network.

Jerome joins at a key time for Sabre, which recently announced the upcoming release of its most advanced merchandising platform yet, the New Sabre Red Workspace, scheduled for global launch next year.

Jerome has held a number of senior global positions in travel distribution, most recently with Amadeus, and led the launch and acquisition of successful technology startups across Europe and Asia – including Sprice in Singapore and Wildfire Asia in China and Singapore.

He takes over the role currently held by Martin Symes, who will remain with Sabre until later this year when he plans to return to the UK following a 20-year stint in the Asian travel industry.

 


 

Sabine BorgiaCurrent Asia, the marketing technology consultancy and managed services provider, has announced the appointment of Sabine Borgia as Content Director.

In this newly-created role, Sabine works with clients to fulfill the promise of data-driven content marketing. She leads the development of buyer profiles and content strategies, and delivers highly relevant and compelling content.

Current Asia’s methodology to produce content marketing strategies brings together analytics with disruptive creativity. The iterative “test and learn” approach matches insight and customer journey mapping with rigorous content frameworks and calendars. Current Asia helps clients set up their marketing technology stacks, and then sources and supplies content for blogs, microsites, websites, infographics and video campaigns.

Since sourcing and creating streams of on-strategy content is key to customer engagement and lead generation, Sabine is with her experience in broadcast, print, and online media, the perfect candidate to help brands become publishers to interact with their customers and prospects with the right content, at the right time, in the right channels, David Ketchum, the company’s CEO, explains.

 


 

Carl DuckinsonGlobal engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon has announced the appointment of Carl Duckinson as Chief Information Officer.

According to Andrew Muller, Aurecon’s Global Chief Financial Officer, information technology is a key enabler for Aurecon as it is fundamental to the successful execution of the company’s business strategy, particularly in relation to Aurecon’s commitment to global collaboration and work-sharing.

Carl Duckinson’s proven track record as a senior IT executive in large and complex organisations, most notably including his skills in mapping technology strategy to business strategy and his strong track record of developing high performing teams, is therefore in particular important for Aurecon.

Carl recently led the Toll Group’s technology transformation, which included a period as Toll’s Interim CIO. Prior to that, he was CIO of Australia’s largest independent gold miner, Newcrest Mining, for seven years. He has also worked at Avanade and BHP.

Carl said he has been drawn to Aurecon because of its impressive engineering portfolio, its energetic culture and its strong interest in innovation, IT and digital initiatives.

 


 

Alex Davern 3colptNational Instruments, the provider of platform-based systems that enable engineers and scientists to solve the world's greatest engineering challenges, announced that its Board of Directors has elected Alex Davern to serve as Chief Executive Officer and President of National Instruments, effective January 1, 2017.

Davern will succeed Dr. James Truchard, who has served as the Chief Executive Officer of NI since the company's founding in 1976. Dr. Truchard will remain as Chairman of the Board and this transition is being undertaken as part of the Board's succession planning process.

Truchard has been working with Alex Davern for more than 20 years, who is an exceptional leader and business strategist, with a demonstrated track record of success. Davern has served as Chief Operating Officer of NI since 2010, and Chief Financial Officer since 1997. He, and the rest of the senior management team, including Jeff Kodosky , co-founder, Fellow, and Board member of NI; Eric Starkloff , Executive VP of Global Sales and Marketing; Scott Rust , Senior VP of R&D; and Duncan Hudson , Chief Platform Officer, have over 100 years of experience at NI, working closely with Dr. Truchard.

In light of Mr. Davern's promotion, the company will start the process of considering candidates to serve as Chief Financial Officer and expects to complete the process by the end of 2016.

 


 

Pann LimThe Gong Creative Circle Awards announced Pann Lim, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Kinetic Singapore, as the chairman for 2016.

Pann is an industry veteran with close to 20 years of experience and a man of many talents and passions. He is a two-time President’s Design Award winner and received so far over 400 international and local awards, including a Yellow Pencil at the 2016 D&AD Awards.

He runs an integrated advertising agency, as well as a retail store and art gallery, and is also part of an art collective, Holycrap.sg. Obviously his passion runs deep in the things he puts his hands on, since he is an Indie publisher, curator and educator.

Besides all that, Pann is no stranger to giving back and guiding young talent, since he was an adjunct lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic and is now part of the School of Design’s Advisory Committee.

 


 

HH Global, an innovative marketing execution partner serving prominent brands worldwide, announced that Bradford Owen has joined HH Global as Senior Vice President, Business Development, Asia Pacific.

He will be based in the Hong Kong regional office of HH Global and will report to Andrew Price, Chief Executive Officer, Asia-Pacific.

Bradford comes to HH Global from InnerWorkings, where he served as Senior Director of the Asia-Pacific region for four years, during which time he successfully led company growth, from one country to a remit spanning India to Australia.

In addition to his previous senior leadership roles within various global CPG and B2B enterprises, Bradford served for eight years as National Account Executive for Williamson Group in the United States. At Williamson, Bradford was a top sales performer focused upon high-volume specialty offset printing and flexographic secondary packaging applications.

Bradford’s connections from his years in the industry will complement the extensive and growing portfolio of clients and contacts already engaged with HH Global. He brings a wealth of business development experience, including in-depth knowledge of the marketing execution field in the Asia-Pacific region.

Owen is a 2009 graduate of the partnership MBA program by the University of Hong Kong, Columbia University, and London Business School.

 


 

arun 960 x 540GREY group India has appointed Arun Raman as National Planning Head. The agency adds a new dimension to its Creative, Servicing and Digital partnerships, which remain focused on creating famously effective work. Based in Mumbai, and reporting to Sunil Lulla, Chairman & Managing Director, GREY group India, Arun will lead the agency's Strategy offerings across India.

Arun returns to GREY from Lowe Lintas, where, as Executive Director, he worked across India and Sri Lanka on an array of clients including Tata Beverages, Unilever, Axis Bank, Britannia and Indian Rayon. His strategic stewardship for Mullen Lowe Sri Lanka saw the organization win the coveted “Agency of the Year 2015” award at the Sri Lanka Effies. In a career spanning 23 years, Raman has worked with Lowe, StrawberryFrog/ Famous, Publicis, GREY, DDB Mudra and FCB Ulka, along with extensive consumer management experience in the Financial, FMCG, Textiles, Automobiles, Beverages, Real Estate, Telecom, and Corporate sectors.

Raman holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (Marketing), Pune University. In his free time, he unwinds from the pressures of advertising with music from the sixties and seventies, solving crosswords, and keeps himself updated with trending news worldwide.