Move and win roundup: Week of June 26, 2023

Havas Group has elevated Ben Sun to the CEO of Havas Creative Group China,  effective from July 1, 2023. Meanwhile, Sun will continue to be the chief creative officer of Havas China and lead the creative team for the success of Havas’ creative presence in China. He will be fully responsible for the overall business management of Havas Creative Group China. He joined Havas Group in 2006 and became the managing director and CCO in 2019. As the youngest member of the group's global and Asia Pacific Creative Council, he brought home the first Cannes Lions to Havas China. He has also been elected as the 17th and 18th Chairman and Secretary General of the China 4As agency industry body.

VideoTaxi has announced the launch of an independent and integrated communications agency Artemis Communications. Artemis’ initial focus will be on social and digital marketing, brand strategy and public relations, complementing VideoTaxi’s digital content production capabilities. Artemis will work closely alongside VideoTaxi, with VideoTaxi’s CEO Isobel Kerr-Newell moving to a group CEO role, responsible for both businesses. Supporting her at a senior level at Artemis will be Beccy Churchill (group account director) and Caitlin Howie (social media lead). Jared Grib will also support the growth of Artemis as group business development director.  

Carat, a Dentsu media agency, has recently retained the media planning business for one of the top Chinese dairy brands, Mengniu for a three-year contract. Under the partnership, Carat will continue to provide integrated online and offline media planning and solutions for Mengniu, with in-depth media trend insights and consumer analysis. As the Official Sponsor of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Mengniu is also the top-tier Sponsor of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Carat has partnered with Mengniu since 2017 and has helped the brand create iconic campaigns, including the Mengniu Winter Olympics Marketing campaign and the co-branding product launch campaign with Moschino.

RGA has appointed Seamus Higgins as chief creative officer (CCO) for Australia to lead the agency’s creative offering. In the role,  Higgins will partner closely with Ben Miles, who will continue to lead RGA’s brand design and consulting practice across Australia and Asia. Higgins was previously CCO for APAC at RGA, before returning to London in 2022 to spend time with his family. With over 20 years of experience across three continents, he recently, he partnered with Ben Miles on RGA Australia’s award-winning work, including A-Leagues, Timberland, Google Huey, and We Are Warriors. RGA’s executive creative director for Australia, Claire Waring, is leaving to pursue an opportunity at tech startup Mental Load, an initiative she co-founded with her sister Elly Bartens to help ease the mental load for parents everywhere.

Ogilvy Network ANZ has appointed Steve Kane as group managing director of Ogilvy NZ, including Designworks. Effective immediately, Kane will lead both agencies’ teams, tasked with driving integration and growth. In the new position, he will also work closely with the local leadership team and report to Ogilvy Network ANZ CEO Sally Kissane. Kane started his career almost thirty years ago in television production and PR before moving to DDB where he was promoted to experiential creative director. Kane joined Y&R NZ as managing director in 2014 and spent the last eight years leading agencies, including five years as MD of Auckland indie agency, True. Ogilvy Network NZ CEO Kelly-Ann Maxwell has resigned after five years with WPP, including the past two with Ogilvy, to spend time with her family and pursue new opportunities.  

PRecious Communications has appointed Rachmad Tri Octaviadi (Oddie) as the market lead for its Indonesian operations. Bringing with him more than 20 years of experience in PR, strategic communications, and digital marketing, Oddie has previously held senior roles at global network agencies such as BCW and FleishmanHillard (Omnicom PR Group), driving especially their technology businesses in Indonesia. In previous roles, he has driven counsel and local remits for high-profile clients, including Qualcomm, Twitter, Changi Airport Group, LaLiga, Dell, and Shell Indonesia. 

McCann Worldgroup India has bagged the advertising mandate of Air India. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch. McCann's appointment is part of a five-year turnaround plan to become a world-class global airline by investing in customer service, technology, and products. Please see more details here.

Wavemaker India has won the media mandate of KRBL Limited, the world's largest miller and exporter of basmati rice. Headquartered in Noida, KRBL is known for its premium quality basmati rice sold globally. India Gate, the world’s No. 1 basmati rice, is the flagship brand of KRBL. The account will be managed out of Wavemaker's Delhi office.

Havas Media has appointed Michael Kay to the newly created senior position of client experience officer. Kay will focus on unlocking greater business growth strategies for CMOs and senior business leaders. Most recently, Kay was at OMD, where he onboarded the NSW Government and prior to that he was head of client and business development at Initiative, and managing director of IPG’s Rufus where he helped launch Amazon into the Australian market. 

FCB Aotearoa has appointed Matt Kingston to its senior leadership team, as he joins the agency as chief strategy officer. Kingston brings more than 20 years’ experience working at Deloitte, Host Sydney, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne and Special Group. He returns to the agency world after 18 months working as an independent strategy consultant, advising clients including Trade Me, Pic’s Peanut Butter and Adidas. 

Retail media executive Jeremy Hagnere of Cartology, Woolworths Group’s standalone media business, has joined the shopper and activations agency Australia’s XPO: The Mars Agency to lead its retail media division. Hagnere will be based in Sydney, and comes on board as retail media director. Hitting the ground running, XPO: The Mars Agency’s Retail Media offering launches with client George Weston Foods’ Don Smallgoods, handing over the management of their trade marketing spend through the major retail media networks including Cartology (Woolworths Group), Coles 360 & Citrus Ad Search Media to XPO, in a bid to better measure and drive higher returns across the retailer media networks.

Adm Group, a marketing execution partner, has acquired DASS, a digital and shopper marketing boutique agency to has strengthen its capabilities across both shopper marketing and digital solutions. Headquartered in Singapore, DASS works with enterprise clients to enable shopper excellence across a multitude of online and offline services. DASS was established in 2018 by Wayne Cowden. 

Anish Daryani, the founder and president director of M&C Saatchi Indonesia has been voted into the board of directors of British Chambers of Commerce at its annual general meeting. He will serve as a board member at BritCham Indonesia.

Interbrand has made three promotions in its Australian leadership team:

• Amanda Szylo-Duncan has been elevated to managing director.  Szylo-Duncan was previously executive strategy director and has been with Interbrand for over five years. As managing director, she will be responsible for running and growing Interbrand, including aspects such as new business wins and team culture, as well as continuing to lead the strategy department.
• Dan Steiner has been promoted to verbal identity director. Steiner joined Interbrand three years ago as a senior writer.
• Rachel Driessen is now mid-weight designer. Driessen has been with the team for almost three years. 

Iris has appointed Rebecca Nadilo as managing director of Iris Singapore. Nadilo will succeed Andy Cairns, who has left the agency. In her new role, she will be responsible for the oversight of Iris' client base in Singapore and APAC, as well as the launch of a new cultural content proposition entitled 'Iris Inc.' Please see more details here. 

Chab Group has promoted Mark Masterson to chief creative officer (CCO). Masterson has quickly become an invaluable asset to the agency since joining as executive creative director (ECD) just eight months ago. In his new role, Masterson will join Chab's global leadership team at the Singapore headquarters, driving forward the agency's creative processes, structure, and overall output. Bringing over two decades of leadership experience across the United States, Europe, China, and Africa, Masterson is an established professional in the field. Before Chab, he led the creative teams of a prominent agency group in West Africa. His previous roles at renowned agencies included McCann Worldgroup and Project Gumbolive.

Melbourne independent creative agency Town Square, has appointed Greg Beer as head of art in a newly created role. He will lead art direction and design, in addition to celebrating and fostering Town’s Square’s creative culture, alongside executive creative director Brendan Day. Beer returns to Australia from the UK, where he spent more than 15 years at some of London’s most prestigious advertising and design agencies, including Wieden + Kennedy, Mother, TBWA, Fallon and VCCP. Before joining Town Square, Beer was at independent Uncommon Creative Studio for four years, working on brands including WWF, Habito, The Guardian, Formula E and B&Q. Across his extensive career has also worked on British Airways, ITV, Nike, Adidas, Nissan, Orange Mobile, Stella Artois, Dulux, BBC and Samsung.

Outbrain has appointed Eve Solomon as managing director, publisher business development for Outbrain of its Asia-Pacific region, including Japan. With an impressive nine-year tenure at Outbrain, Solomon will further elevate Outbrain’s APAC supply operations. After almost a decade, based in New York City, she returns to her native Australia. Most recently, Solomon spent four-and-a-half years managing the cross-functional team responsible for Outbrain's global strategic accounts. In her new role, Solomon will be responsible for expanding Outbrain’s APAC supply business by creating new, premium publisher partnerships and will focus on ensuring the right resources and support are provided to Outbrain's existing APAC business. 

Thierry Lalchere, former Chief People Officer of Havas Group ANZ, has launched Thierry Lalchere Consulting- HR (TLCHR), offering advice on progressive people policies, EVP, DE&I, independent HR investigations, training and development, and standardising systems to agencies with five to 250+ people. Lalchere was listed in Campaign Asia’s 40 under 40 in 2021. As CPO for the Havas Group, her achievements included AdNews Employer of the Year Finalist (2022, 2019), and CommsCon Employer of the Year (2020, 2019). 

Media OutReach Newswire, Asia's first global newswire, has strengthened its China distribution network, expanding the number of media partners to guarantee online news posting for its press release distribution service to 300 leading English and Simplified Chinese media partners. The expansion further cements Media OutReach Newswire as the most comprehensive press release distribution partner in China and across the Asia Pacific region. Media OutReach Newswire also has launched the industry’s first dedicated press release distribution network for the Greater Bay Area.

Creative technology company Mash has made the following key changes in its APAC leadership team:

• Damien Miller has been elevated to the newly created role of client partnerships and culture director. Miller joined the creative technology company in 2021 from Vice Media. In the new position, he will fortify Mash's inherent remote-working culture, amplify the client partnerships team, and fuel the company's expansion across new territories.
• Rich Akers is now the creative partnerships director, Asia
• Amy Williams takes the role of creative partnerships director for the ANZ market.

Wavemaker Adelaide and Carat Adelaide have retained the media account of South Australian Government. as Wavemaker has extended its 13-year relationship with the government. Wavemaker was first appointed in 2010 as MEC. Ir will remain the sole supplier for functional advertising services and media negotiations and reporting. For shared duties, Wavemaker retained its place on the panel for brand campaigns alongside Carat Adelaide, as both were appointed alongside Reprise in 2019.

Pully Chau, former president of Edelman Greater China, has left the agency after staying at the helm for two years. Chau has extensive experience in the advertising industry, she started her career with Ogilvy in 1984 and has since worked as CEO of Greater China at Cheil Worldwide, Draftfcb and Saatchi & Saatchi. She spent 17 years at DMB&B and Saatchi & Saatchi working forProcter & Gamble. Edelman confirmed her departure but did not name the successor. Chau is the second senior executive to have left Edelman this month. Earlier Michelle Hutton, vice chairman of Edelman APAC, also left the agency after 13 years of work.