Move and win roundup: Y&R, Mindshare, Mediacorp, Singtel and more

PEOPLE MOVES

Y&R launched an ecommerce strategy consultancy in partnership with Jon Sugihara. Currently managing partner at Elev8tion Group, Sugihara most recently co-founded mobile loyalty and re-marketing platform Perx. Prior to that, he started PlayHawaii, SavvyCircle and Kwiry and served as chief product officer at online-grocery store RedMart and Kodakit. Y&R’s consultancy services will include early-phase sales channel, assets and product pricing strategy; growth marketing, marketing channel strategy and promotion strategy by sales channel; and product evaluation, rating monitoring and content strategy.

Mediacorp announced that CEO Shaun Seow will be leaving to join Mediacorp parent company Temasek. A search for a replacement is underway and Seow will assist in the transition until 30 September. He was appointed CEO in July 2011 after holding various leadership roles across the company’s TV, radio, print and digital businesses. 

Singtel “re-designated” Lian Pek, its vice president of group corporate communications as vice president of group strategic communications and brand as it announced that its branding efforts would be consolidated under its group corporate communications department, which will be renamed Group Strategic Communications and Brand. Last month, Singtel appointed four agencies to handle its creative and digital accounts for the next two years. Pek also has oversight of external media relations at Optus, Singtel’s wholly owned subsidiary in Australia.

MP & Silva appointed Alex Wee as director of brand partnerships in Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, he will report to Wu Swee Sin, APAC MD. He joins from FT, where he was regional director of sponsorships and partnerships.

Mindshare Thailand appointed Emmanuel Ordinanza as managing partner for Nestle’s Thailand team. Ordinanza joined Mindshare Thailand in March this year; he was previously with Starcom Mediavest Group.

BUSINESS WINS

OMD Singapore won the media account for The Learning Lab, a provider of academic enrichment and tutorial programmes for primary, secondary, and integrated programme students in Singapore. The scope of work includes media planning and buying, SEO and SEM, and performance media.

Arcade won new business with Suntory Beverage & Food Singapore across four major consumer beverage brands. The agency will create campaigns through all channels for Ribena, Lucozade, MYTEA and a yet-to-be-launched brand. The output will include TVCs, print and digital to run across North and Southeast Asia in 2017. Arcade Singapore will handle the regional work with Arcade’s Jakarta office offering consumer insights and creativity in Indonesia.

Laneige Malaysia selected Kingdom Digital as its digital and social media agency. The agency won a competitive pitch held in December last year to develop and launch digital campaigns for the brand’s Perfect Renew and Two Tone Lip Tint Bar range. Kingdom Digital’s remit now includes digital strategy, content creation, campaign concepts, microsite design and development, social-media marketing and community management, as well as supporting ATL activities and on-ground events.

Independent media agency Slingshot won three clients, Sugar Australia, Solahart and Guardian Early Learning Group, without a pitch. The agency will handle media strategy, planning and buying for Sugar Australia’s CSR Sugar range, media planning and buying for Solahart; acquiring and retaining customers in addition to launching new centres for Guardian.

Nippon Paint Singapore named The Hoffman Agency as its PR agency of record. The firm is tasked with boosting Nippon’s presence in the market and driving media engagement.

Isobar India was appointed global digital partner for Titan Company Limited to handle the brand’s creative, social and media duties across 32 international markets. The countries covered under the mandate include USA, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, South Africa, Singapore, Thailand, Qatar, Vietnam & Bangladesh.

HPE Aruba expanded its communications remit with WE Communications to now cover 20 markets across Asia, Latin America and EMEA. WE London began the relationship in 2013, and it has now been extended to a regional APAC hub managed at WE Singapore, covering Southeast Asia, China, Hong Kong and India. 

OTHER NEWS

Trinaya Media expanded its portfolio with the publication of an Indonesian-language edition of Bloomberg Businessweek in Indonesia. Bloomberg Businessweek is already published in Chinese in Hong Kong and China.

Iris opened its first Thailand office in Bangkok, marking its seventh office in the region. Graham van der Westhuizen will lead as managing director, with Atiwat Manassarikan joining as planning lead.