PEOPLE MOVES
Rebecca Bezzina will return to R/GA to serve as VP and managing director in Sydney, taking on the role from Jon Holloway. She will be responsible for spearheading new business, overseeing the vision and roadmap for the business locally, as well as managing all client relationships. She will report to Jim Moffatt, EVP managing director, APAC. Bezzina first joined R/GA in 2013 as client services director.
Brand design agency Bluemarlin Group launched a new strategic consulting agency Mettle Thinking. It will be spearheaded in APAC by Marion Micoud, who was recently appointed general manager Asia based in Singapore. Micoud comes in with experience in developing brands, having worked with Unilever, Nestle and L’Oreal, among others.
Juhi Bimbhet joined The Talent Business’ Singapore, and will be responsible for driving an expansion in The Talent Business’ ability to deliver creative leaders and senior talent across Asia. Juhi will work alongside Sam van Iddekinge, head of creative talent, and Charlie Thomas, CEO Asia Pacific, and his team based in Singapore. Bimbhet was most recently senior account director at Grey, having worked at AMV BBDO London and Ogilvy Advertising.
Lifestyle management service company Quintessentially followed a recent account win with the appointment of Jeffrey Tay as general manager, Hong Kong, and Lucie Brindjonc as director of corporate client services. Tay previously served at Quintessentially Lifestyle as head of corporate services, Greater China; Brindjonc has worked at Marriott Group, Starwood Group, and Lanson Place.
Rocket Fuel Australia expanded its Sydney team with three senior hires, appointing Mailee Creacy as sales director (NSW & QLD), Joanna Woods as group sales manager, and Andrew Hill as sales manager. Creacy was the former director of enterprise solutions for Rocket Fuel in New York; Woods previously worked as senior account manager at Fairfax and MCN; Hill joins from MCN with experience in digital media.
OMD Sydney appointed Hamish Strahorn as head of Telstra. He joins from Starcom, where he served as business director, having also worked at OMD previously with the Telstra marketing team.
SONY Pictures Television (SPT) Networks, Asia promoted Virginia Lim to senior VP and head of content, production and marketing. Lim will oversee the network portfolio, including programming, acquisitions and original productions, as well as brand marketing and on-air promotions, for Asian and English content channels including AXN, ONE, Animax, Sony Channel and GEM. Lim joined SPT from Animax, where she was director of programming then VP of Asian Content.
All Public Relations in Cambodia hired Jessica Benchetrit as PR and account director. Bringing six years’ industry experience to the role, Benchetrit has particular expertise in the media and entertainment sectors.
Smartology Singapore hired Michelle Ong from the New York Times to focus on ad operations and provide sales support. She reports to Eileen Soh, who has headed up Smartology’s APAC operation since its launch in September.
BUSINESS WINS
The Peninsula Hotels appointed MullenLowe Profero as global digital agency following a competitive pitch. The agency will be responsible for assist with strategy, creative execution and technical facilitation.
Geometry Global Malaysia was named lead creative agency for Audi Malaysia, following a pitch. The agency will undertake full-scale creative duties for the luxury car brand, with a heavy focus on stepping up its digital and social-media presence.
Avian Media won the PR account for McDonald’s in South and West India, following a multi-agency pitch. Avian is tasked with enhancing the fast food chain’s reputation, developing a content strategy and overseeing media relations.
Australian PR boutique F4WARD was appointed to handle communications for the Bolle Italia sparkling wine festival, taking place in Sydney in October. The agency will promote the event through earned media relations, and paid and social content.
Communications agency Cohn & Wolfe was appointed by Cyberport’s incubatee Valoot Technologies to handle its solution launch this year, aimed at making ForEx processes and transactions more transparent and fair for travellers using their credit-cards abroad. Cohn & Wolfe was also appointed by Brown-Forman Hong Kong to lead social-media marketing for the 150th anniversary of whisky brand Jack Daniels and its distillery’s global barrel hunt campaign.
Australian PR firm Haystac won petroleum giant BP as a client on a project basis. The agency will promote BP’s Australian retail network, and manage PR, social media and activations.
OTHER DEALS
Go-Ahead Singapore appointed Moove Media as its advertising and commercial partner. Under the contract, Moove Media will be responsible for bus advertising on the bus operator’s fleet of approximately 400 buses. The OOH player will also manage commercial properties and advertising spaces at Pasir Ris and Punggol bus interchanges.
Global information and measurement company Nielsen collaborated with Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo to develop the “Weibo-Nielsen Sports Popularity Ranking”. Nielsen will draw up a ranking based on the big data and sport-related information from Sina Weibo, which will be updated on a daily basis.