Move and win roundup: Week of January 2, 2025

VJ Anand, VaynerMedia's executive creative director EMEA announced that he has left the agency after a five-year stint via a post on LinkedIn. While yet to announce a next assignment, Anand has stated himself as open to collaborating with brands and agencies. Anand was the fourth hire at VaynerMedia’s APAC operations and through the course of his time at the agency worked on brands including SK-II, Prudential, and Revolut. Anand’s previous experience includes senior roles at agencies including Cheil, TBWA, and BBDO. Prior to his assignment at VaynerMedia, he was senior VP of creative content and social at Gojek.

MullenLowe Singapore has been appointed as the creative agency of record for the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) following a competitive pitch. The 27-month retainer tasks the agency with elevating brand awareness and perception of NTUC’s work in supporting workers’ welfare, wages, and career prospects in Singapore. The agency will develop integrated campaigns across ATL, BTL, digital, social, and event collaterals to engage and inspire workers.

Alice Au, group director of digital marketing at Wharf Hotels, has stepped down after a four-year tenure. During her time with the company, Au led the digital marketing strategy for the Niccolo and Marco Polo Hotels portfolio, focusing on omnichannel marketing, AI integration, and WeChat commerce to enhance customer engagement across Greater China and Asia. Au announced her departure on LinkedIn. Campaign Asia-Pacific has reached out for details on her next career move, which has not been disclosed. At Wharf Hotels, Au spearheaded the overhaul of the group’s digital infrastructure, including the launch of 20 new websites and the integration of platforms like WeChat, XiaoHongShu, Douyin, and Alipay into the group’s strategy. These initiatives were aimed at expanding market reach and driving revenue across accommodation and F&B offerings. Get all the details here. 

Dentsu Singapore has appointed Rahul Thappa as managing director of customer experience management (CXM) and media. He was most recently managing director for India at Naviga. Thappa brings with him two decades of media industry experience across pay TV platforms, marketing agencies and content companies.