Publicis appoints co-CEOs in Thailand

A month after shuffling its leadership in Vietnam, Amrita Randhawa, CEO of Publicis Groupe, Singapore & Southeast Asia, has affected another change in Southeast Asia, this time in Thailand. The network has replaced its long-time leader Songkran "Jod" Sethesompobe with a co-CEO structure. The two CEOs are Sorada Sonprasit, currently CEO of Brilliant & Million, and Paruj Daorai, managing director of Digitas Thailand.

Sethesompobe's exit marks the second top-level exit for Publicis Thailand in the past couple of months. Subun Khow, the network's erstwhile creative chief in the market, departed for Dentsu in March. 

Both Sonprasit and Daorai will report to Randhawa. The appointment is effective June 1, 2022 with the outgoing CEO overlapping for a transition until the end of the month. Replacements for Sonprasit and Daorai  would be announced in three months, Publicis said. 

Sonprasit will focus on digital, PR and production, while Daorai will focus on Publicis Creative as well as business transformation and innovation. Both of them will split responsibilities on Publicis Media and executive sponsorship of integrated-group services. 

Sonprasit is founder and CEO of Brilliant & Million, a digital agency in Thailand acquired by Publicis three years ago. She started the shop after working with companies like American Express and Citibank. Sonprasit has led her agency to five consecutive Agency of the Year wins with Campaign Asia and been named on Women to Watch twice. 

Dorai, meanwhile, had stints at Arcy (DMB&B), Lowe Bangkok, Ogilvy & Mather Thailand, and Leo Burnett Group Thailand before launching Digitas Thailand. He currently serves as the president of the Digital Advertising Association of Thailand (DAAT).

“Both are leaders who have been ahead of their time in developing digitally led services for clients and work really well in partnership with each other, making them a very strong choice as we continue to transform the Groupe and its services in Thailand," Randhawa said.

Songkran "Jod" Sethesompobe

Sethesompobe joined Publicis Groupe as CEO of Leo Burnett Thailand in April 2011. In May 2016, he was appointed country head of Publicis Groupe Thailand. With the launch of Digitas Thailand and Prodigious as well as the acquisition of Brilliant & Million, he grew the business and built bespoke client teams hubbed in Thailand. Randhawa noted his contribution to the network's growth and said that "he is a trusted voice who will be missed".