Tequila Digital has named Takanori Seki as the firm’s digital lead. In his new role, he will be responsible for advanced technologies and its strategic implementation, delivering key projects and developing processes and standards that lead the digital space.
MediaMind introduced MediaMind Blocks, a website that provides a platform for advertisers searching for the next big thing in media concepts. The portal provides marketers a marketplace to design and produce innovative creative concepts using pre-packaged codes to enable a specific functionality within a media ad.
Isobar Japan took over from BBDO Japan in handling the digital account of Pernod Ricard’s sparkling wine brand Café de Paris. A key responsibility for the firm would be developing a strategy to reach its target audience of females in their 20s and 30s, as well as enhancing interest for the product to increase sales.
Five Stones won the account management business of Google’s Doubleclick for Hong Kong and Taiwan without a pitch. The Hong Kong-based firm will be tasked to handle rich media production, technical services, and trafficking in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Online travel firm Expedia made its first venture into Southeast Asia, opening Singapore website Expedia.com.sg. This is the company’s fifth site in the Asia-Pacific region, with websites already in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and India.
Publicis launched a new business, Publicis Webperformance, targeted towards helping small to medium-sized enterprises with their digital media. The Publicis Webperformance toolkit will help firms take advantage of online advertising, ecommerce, and mobile communication, as well as showing them the ropes on platforms such as Google and Facebook.
Ogilvy & Mather China brought in Peony Wu, managing director of Neo@Ogilvy Greater China, to the newly created position of chief digital officer. She will oversee the group’s cross discipline, cross-market Digital Council as part of her role while continuing her duties at Neo@Ogilvy.
PHD has been tapped to handle the Hotels.com business for markets in Asia including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. PHD’s responsibilities involve strategy, planning and brand activation in Singapore and throughout the region.
Aman Singh and Vincent Ng have joined digital agency XM-Asia’s analytics practice based in Singapore. Singh assumed the role of senior consultant with clients Singapore Tourism Board and Malaysia Airlines, while Ng landed the role of associate consultant responsible for clients such as Hewlett-Packard and the Economic Development Board.
Alibaba.com CEO David Wei and COO both resigned in the wake of an internal investigation into the e-commerce firm. Insiders say they took responsibility for failing to set a strong tone of corporate values in connection with an increase in fraud by organised groups attacking the e-commerce site.
Following a multi-agency pitch, MEC India won the rights to carry out media duties for FlipKart, a Bangalore-based e-commerce portal. MEC India’s mandate would be to impactfully increase the awareness of the brand in India.
OgilvyOne has selected AKQA’s group creative director John Jakubowski as its regional ECD, completing the roster of the firm’s regional management team. He has worked on global accounts such as Xbox and Coca Cola during his time with AKQA.
Futurelab has been picked by 7-Eleven to manage its social and digital duties following a multiple agency pitch. The mandate includes the development of 7-Eleven Malaysia Facebook channel, together with new social activities and digital campaigns.
Ken Mandel stepped down from his post as regional vice-president for sales and marketplaces at Yahoo Asia Pacific, and is currently looking for new opportunities in the digital space. In his three-year tenure with the firm, he built Yahoo’s business in Southeast Asia, opening offices in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Carolyn Everson is the latest to join Facebook as vice-president of global sales. She jumps ship from Microsoft where she held the position of vice-president of ad sales for only nine months.
Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures picked McCann Worldgroup Hong Kong as its new digital and creative partner. PHD, meanwhile, was selected as its media agency firm with both appointments effective on March.
