Patterson will take responsibility for the development of GroupM’s specialist units (excluding business science, which will continue to be led by MindShare Asia-Pacific CEO Ashutosh Srivastava), as well as South and Southeast Asia.
North Asia will now report directly to GroupM regional CEO John Steedman. “Andre is joining another WPP company and his next move will be announced next week. The changes here will give local managers greater autonomy, with the changes coming into effect at the end of May,” Steedman told Media.
In China, GroupM has named former deputy chief financial officer Huang Yee Chan to the role of chief operating officer.
Chan will develop and implement market development strategies and commercial propositions. She will also drive the group’s acquisition strategy in China and across the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, MindShare has hired Alok Sinha from Carat Philippines as its new regional communications planning director, with James Chadwick promoted the role of head of strategy for Asia-Pacific.
Sinha joins the agency after four years at Carat. Most recently, he was communications and strategy director at the Aegis agency’s Philippines office, setting up and leading its Procter & Gamble planning team. Prior to that, as strategic resources director in Thailand, Sinha worked on adidas, BDF and Honda.
“In his new role, Alok will help us to strengthen our communications planning product and expertise in Asia-Pacific, with a special focus on destination planning training and practice,” said Chadwick. “He will also be a valuable resource for supporting critical pitches – both regional and local. Over time, he will take on specific communications planning responsibilities on some key regional accounts”
The hire comes as MindShare bolsters its insights resources, after hiring Achara Masoodi as ‘the scout’ to lead its Asia Scout Network. Masoodi previously worked at the Filter Group.
Additional reporting by Arun Sudhaman
