40 Under 40 2024: Tim Lindley, VaynerMedia

Tim Lindley

Regional managing director
VaynerMedia Asia Pacific
Singapore

Since joining VaynerMedia APAC in 2020, Tim Lindley has transformed the agency from a modest team of 60 to a formidable presence of hundreds of professionals across a dozen different markets. His rapid ascension from head of insights and strategy to regional managing director in just eight months underscores his dynamic impact.

Under Lindley’s stewardship, VaynerMedia APAC not only expanded its geographical reach and grew revenue through business wins, but also added new capabilities and expertise. For instance, he launched VaynerMedia Consulting, which has become a cornerstone of the agency's growth strategy, and introduced bespoke monthly ARB (attention, business and relevance) reports to identify underpriced opportunities for clients. He has been able to attract top talent, such as industry leaders like Kota Murakami to run Japan and Melanie Cook to lead strategy and insights in APAC.

Lindley’s approach to leadership goes beyond traditional business metrics. He is committed to fostering a culture of holistic growth and continuous learning. He has introduced initiatives to nurture talent and enhance professional development, such as a mentorship exchange program to allow Singaporean creators to work with client teams in New York, as well as a championship programme that helps staff through coaching and mentoring. His dedication to education is reflected in the structured skill-development plans and mentorship opportunities he provides to his team.

Diversity and inclusion are central to Lindley's vision. Women form a strong number of leadership roles and a non-biased hiring process has been implemented to eliminate degree-requirements, while embracing non-traditional career paths. Younger members of the team were encouraged to establish VaynerX Pride APAC, with an inaugural Pride event this year.

No wonder the agency was recognised for having the Best Agency Culture in APAC at the most recent Campaign Asia Pacific’s Agency of the Year awards, alongside winning Integrated Agency of the Year for Southeast Asia. Perhaps more importantly, Lindley’s team has managed to sustain a high retention score as a result of their workplace efforts.

Lindley’s influence, however, extends beyond his organisation, where he engages CMOs at roundtables and currently co-hosts the ‘Marketing For The Now APAC’ podcast with Gary Vaynerchuk.