Moves and wins roundup: Week of February 24, 2025

BBDO Worldwide has merged Australian agencies Clemenger BBDO, CHEP Network, and Traffik. The newly formed entity, simply named Clemenger, will aim to address a culture of transactional creativity and be led by Lee Leggett, the current CEO of CHEP. Dani Bassil, who returned to Australia in early 2023 to rebuild Clemenger, will be leaving the agency. The leadership team for the new entity is still in development, with positions such as chief creative officer and chief strategy officer yet to be filled. Global CEO Nancy Reyes noted that this merger marks just the beginning of a larger story, indicating further changes are anticipated.

 

GroupM Australia & New Zealand has bolstered its commerce team with the appointments of Veronica Li, Ben Grace, and Claudia Domingues. Li and Grace have joined as group directors of commerce strategy, bringing valuable experience from Publicis and SparkXGlobal, respectively. With expertise in retail media, Li will focus on enhancing client growth, while Grace coming from a background in data and technology, will work on advancing new advertising solutions. Meanwhile, Domingues returns to GroupM as head of commerce platforms, utilising her omnichannel expertise to integrate commerce and retail media. 

 

Dentsu Malaysia has appointed Bala Pomaleh as CEO of Media, marking his return to the network after nearly nine years as CEO of IPG Mediabrands Malaysia. With 20 years of management experience, Pomaleh previously led Carat Malaysia, part of Dentsu's media brands. His appointment follows a strong start to 2025 for Dentsu Malaysia, building on a transformative 2024. Under the leadership of CEO Audrey Chong, Dentsu Malaysia is poised to further integrate and innovate, with Pomaleh and Uday Desai, recently appointed managing director of Creative, strengthening the leadership team. Read more details here. 

 

Asahi has appointed Moon Rabbit Singapore as its creative agency for a 12 to 18-month contract, focusing on the Singapore market with potential expansion into Southeast Asia. Moon Rabbit will drive growth by leveraging Asahi's unique strengths and amplify its partnership with City Football Group, building on Manchester City's success to engage football fans. The agency will also work on Peroni, launching new campaigns based on its refreshed positioning. 

 

Cadillac has appointed 72andSunny as its local agency to support its Australian market expansion. The agency will adapt Cadillac's US strategy for local consumers, building on their existing relationship with 72andSunny LA, which started in 2024. This follows Cadillac's Australian debut with the fully electric Lyriq SUV in 2024. After completing initial brand work, 72andSunny will continue collaborating on creative projects as Cadillac grows in Australia.