Move and win roundup: Week of February 25, 2019

PepsiCo Malaysia has consolidated its social media management of its carbonated soft drinks - Pepsi, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, and 7Up  - after selecting Mindshare in a pitch against  multiple digital agencies. Mindshare is already a media AOR for PepsiCo and now adds responsibility for developing social creative concepts, content and owned assets for above-mentioned brands.

Independent Kuala-Lumpur based agency network People ‘n Rich Holdings has hired former Naga DDB CEO David Mitchell as group integration director effective 1 March 2019. The near 30-year advertising veteran recently returned to Malaysia after a two-year stint at Havas RiverOrchid in Vietnam and will now work with P'nR- H companies including People ‘n Rich Advertising, Display Asia, Velocity Asia, and Media Consortium Corporation.

Lotame promoted Luke Williams to managing director for Australia and New Zealand. He was previously commercial director for the same territory, where the company said it grew 50% last year. In his new role, he will spearhead ongoing and new partnerships to leverage Lotame’s DMP capabilities while also heading up the growth of the ANZ operations. The company says its private, second-party data marketplace, Lotame Syndicate, saw a 300% increase in users in APAC since 2017. This month the company launched the Syndicate Online Marketplace, which provides buyers with a transparent way to research and vet some of the sellers of second-party data on Lotame Syndicate. The company has new and continuing partnerships with Network 10, Countdown, Real Estate NZ, Annalect AU, Seven West Media, Salmat and AA Smartfuel.

Former Cannes Lions chairman Terry Savage, who stepped down following the 2018 festival, will take on a creative consulting role with Dentsu brand agencies, a Dentsu Aegis spokesperson has confirmed.

Uhrenholt extended a partnership with digital agency Lion & Lion for its dairy, frozen fruits and vegetable brand Emborg in six APAC countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Myanmar) as well as in the United Arab Emirates. Lion & Lion will remain responsible for all Emborg’s digital campaigns including social media services for the next three years for these marketsThe agency will also perform social-listening services.

Turner appointed FF Shanghai as its promotional agency to introduce the global hit comedy Rick and Morty in China. The agency will also be the consulting partner in charge of strategy and creative solutions for other Turner franchises in China, including Tuzki, We Bare Bears and The Powerpuff Girls.

OMD China appointed Sadhan Mishra as managing director for its Shanghai office. He will work with OMD China CEO Aaron Wild on driving new business and will oversee service delivery for existing and new clients. Mishra, who joined OMD in 2010, has previously managed international accounts out of Singapore, expanded the agency’s operations in Indonesia and, most recently, led the McDonald’s business across APAC, Middle East and Africa.

Publicis Groupe Malaysia appointed Abraham Varughese as chief creative officer. He will be responsible for uniting the creative talent of Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Digitas, Publicis Emil, Publicis Media, Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid and Alpha 245. He joins from Bates Dubai, which followed a stint with Leo Burnett, also in Dubai. He will report to Tan Kien Eng, CEO of Publicis Groupe Malaysia.

Singapore-based LinkedIn marketing specialist Black Marketing has hired Miguel Bernas as 'CMO-at-large' to help expand their client base in Asia Pacific. It also announced three other key hires: Bettina Nebermann as Switzerland and Germany country manager in Europe; Sheila Berman as managing director of Rock Star Keynote Speaker - Black Marketing’s women first speaker bureau; Jon Jayo as a new general manager responsible for managing Black’s 35 staff.

Indonesia telco Telkomsel appointed Verve, the new 'story' arm of JWT Indonesia, as agency of record to spearhead its corporate communications strategy for 2019 and 2020. Verve describes itself as a 'channel-agnostic storycrafter' that amplifies client stories over multiple channels. 

Freewheel, Comcast's advertising solutions company has appointed Yuling Ma as senior vice-president of engineering and Beijing general manager, leading Beijing's engineering teams to deliver new products.  An engineer by trade, Ma brings more than 20 years of experience in leading and working with software engineering teams internationally, joining from JingDong.com where, she oversaw data products, platforms and business development.

Octagon appointed Joanne Warnes as agency director in Singapore, reporting to Aykan Azar, managing director for Southeast Asia. She was previously with Havas Sport and Entertainment as COO in the UK.

BBH Singapore appointed Jacob Wright as chief strategy officer. He joins from Droga5 in London. he is a former BBH employee who has also served as head of planning for VCCP and strategy director at Mother, as well as working for two tech startups. He will report to John Hadfield, CEO of BBH Singapore.

CapitalKeys, a global public affairs and strategy firm based in Washington, DC, appointed Frank T. Troise of SoHo Capital as senior advisor based in Singapore. The appointment represents the firm's first expansion to Asia.

Lighthouse Independent Media reports that Justin Randles, group managing director and publisher of Marketing magazine, will leave Lighthouse at the end of February 2019. Randles founded Lighthouse and launched Marketing magazine 17 years ago.  It will now be led by Evelyn Wong in Singapore and Vivien Peters in Hong Kong with both reporting to Arek Widawski, member of the executive board, Forum Media Group.

Essence appointed Oindrila Roy as head of strategy and Rahul Marwaha as vice president, digital media activation, in India. They will work with Anand Chakravarthy, India MD. Roy has worked at Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, JWT and Lowe Lintas. Marwaha was most recently at IPG Mediabrands’ Interactive Avenues.

S4 Capital appointed Poran Malani as director of operations for India, where it has offices in Bengaluru and Mumbai. Malani will head S4Capital, MediaMonks and MightyHive in India. He joins after an entrepreneurial stint. Prior to that he was president of Ogilvy India.

Mutiny, the upstart agency focusing on predictive AI made up of former Y&R, PwC and OMG executives, have announced their first foundation client as health insurer Bupa Australia. Mutiny will provide strategic services to enhance audience acquisition capabilities using content and social.

Wipro Unza, part of Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting Group, appointed PHD Malaysia to manage its integrated media duties following a competitive review. The agency will deliver integrated media strategies, planning and buying for company's 24 brands. The appointment, which is effective for two years with an optional third year, starts in April.

McCann Worldgroup Thailand appointed Sherri Maxwell as ECD, with a focus on MRM//McCann work. Maxwell, who has 25 years of multi-regional experience, joins from Creative Underground, where she was regional ECD, based in Hong Kong. She will partner with Sukit Kittinuntakul, who was promoted in June last year from business director to deputy GM of MRM//McCann Bangkok.

Just After Midnight appointed Freddie Heygate as CEO of Southeast Asia, based in the company’s new expanded offices in central Singapore. He joins following a two-year client-side digital transformation project and was formerly head of brand at Recommended Agency Register and head of marketing at Reading Room in Singapore. Just After Midnight provides round the clock revenue and reputation protection through 24/7 support, managed hosting and DevOps consultancy.

Nestlé Australia appointed Saatchi & Saatchi Australia as its lead creative agency for its beverages and foods portfolio. The remit covers strategic and creative duties for a number of brands, including Nescafé Blend43, Nescafé Gold and Maggi.

Creative technology company Splash Worldwide appointed May Rose Funtanilla as senior account manager in Singapore. She joins from Williams Lea Tag, where she began in 2011 as account manager and was promoted to senior account manager. 

MOBKOI, which bills itself as 'House of Mobile Advertising', announced that it has established offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo to support its global brand partners, which include Richemont, LVMH and Audemars Piguet.