| Campaign compiles a new 'Move and win roundup' as each week
progresses. This edition will cover June 1 through June 5, 2026. Catch up on past people moves and business wins. |
Unilever ANZ has hired Ikea ANZ's CMO Kirsten Hasler as its new chief marketing officer, effective September 1. Outgoing CMO Anna Tracey will pivot her career towards counselling and coaching. In her new role, Hasler will oversee marketing across Australia and New Zealand, with a remit spanning brand-building, social-first demand creation, and consumer and customer insights. Hasler joins from Ikea ANZ, where she has been with the company for 14 years and served as head of marketing and insights since 2022. During her tenure, she led major campaigns and loyalty initiatives in 2024 and directed the brand’s entry into New Zealand in 2025. She was recognised in Campaign-Asia’s Power List as one of the region's Top 50 CMO's in 2024.
The Australian Government has parterned with marketing agency Think HQ to deliver a nationwide community engagement project to increase participation in Australia’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP). The account was awarded following a competitive tender, with the agency tasked with executing campaign designs, media content and the rolle out of community and experiential activations.
New Zealand-based advertising agency Bastion Aotearoa has appointed veteran Nicky Greville as managing partner of media. Greville joins from Publicis Groupe after seven years, bringing more than two decades of expertise, having held leadership roles at Sparked Foundry, MBM, Y&R and PHD. Greville’s arrival supports the agency’s extended offering and will lead commercial, client and media strategies, while building the agency culture.
APRW has been appointed JDE Peet’s Singapore has its PR agency of record covering L’OR, OldTown and Moccona. Over the past year, APRW has supported JDE Peet’s with media relations, product launches, influencer engagement and experiential activations. Notable work includes the launch of the L’OR Passione Rossa collection with Ferrari Hypercar, spotlighting limited‑edition blends Maranello and Imola through curated storytelling and targeted outreach to reinforce L’OR’s premium positioning.
AS Watson has named Caryn Loh regional managing director for health and beauty Asia, effective June 1, 2026. Formerly MD of Watsons Malaysia, Loh’s remit now extends to driving strategic growth and operational leadership across Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Havas Play has tapped Alexandra Harrison as head of Hong Kong. Previously senior brand and partnerships manager, Harrison will oversee the agency’s event, sport, entertainment, and sponsorship business, reporting to Havas Media Hong Kong CEO Andrew Cawte.
Singapore-based fashion house Charles & Keith has appointed former Meta executive Aniko Andras as global marketing director. With over two decades of international experience across APAC, Andras has held senior regional roles at Meta, Apple, and L’Oréal.
The group also unveiled new leadership hires to accelerate digital and creative transformation: Claudia Brechenmacher as head of transformation and Cayetano Morales Rosell as global director of e-commerce. These appointments underscore Charles & Keith’s ambition to drive transformative growth and operational efficiency.
Ogilvy China has promoted Yong Yuan, president of Ogilvy Advertising China, to CEO with immediate effect. He will oversee people, clients and growth across The Ogilvy Group in China, reporting to Chris Reitermann, Chief Executive Officer of WPP Greater China. His remit includes leadership across advertising, digital experience, social, influence, and public relations, while strengthening alignment between Ogilvy and Grey. Both agencies will continue to operate independently, but the structure is designed to create synergies, deliver integrated solutions, and accelerate client growth.
In Australia, Andrew Hankin exits Ogilvy after 26 years. Starting as a studio assistant at 17, he rose to group creative director and worked on integrated campaigns for Coca‑Cola, KFC, Pizza Hut, Huggies, Nestlé, LG, Vodafone, and Telstra. In a LinkedIn post, Hankin reflected on his career and learnings.
Dentsu India has won the integrated media mandate for Tata Group’s Indian Premier League (IPL), following a competitive multi‑agency pitch. The account consolidates media duties for Tata Motors, Voltas, TATA AIG, CaratLane, and Air India Express under one strategy, leveraging its capabilities across various disciplines including, data, AI and real-time optimisation to maximise impact and engagement throughout the tournament. The mandate covers planning and buying across TV, digital, OTT, social, and emerging platforms for the IPL season.
Xenai Digital has appointed Hyde & Seek Communications as its PR and communications partner. The partnership will focus on building Xenai’s earned media presence across business, technology, and trade outlets.
Former 72andSunny CCO Wez Hawes has joined Sydney-based creative-led agency Outside In as creative partner. Hawes, a former BBH London creative and senior leader at CHEP Network, Marcel Sydney, and Innocean, has led campaigns for Hyundai, Samsung, Lynx/Axe, NRMA Insurance, KIA, and Tiger Beer. He has collaborated with Outside In’s founders across multiple agencies over the past decade. Founded in 2025 by creatives Grace Leat, Jacque Kelly, and Lucie de La Chaise, the agency works directly with founders and CMOs to strengthen in‑house creative and strategic capabilities. Clients include Lyka, VUSH, P3 Recovery, Australian Marine Conservation Society, and Ardour Hotels.
Hong Kong‑based Media OutReach Newswire has appointed Justin Wong as chief operating officer. Wong brings over 20 years of leadership experience in operations and finance, with senior roles at Hutchison, Ogilvy, Brunswick, and FleishmanHillard. He joins the leadership team alongside founder and CEO Jennifer Kok, Greater China managing partner Kitty Lee, and Southeast Asia managing partner Pamela Phua. Together, they will oversee operations, client growth, and market expansion.
Communications consultancy Sandpiper Group has opened a Kuala Lumpur office, appointing Christopher de Cruz as global head of content, innovation and crisis communications to lead Malaysia operations. The new office expands Sandpiper’s Southeast Asia presence and will serve as a network hub for innovation, combining strategic communications, crisis management, digital marketing, research, public affairs and new tech capabilities. De Cruz joins from Edelman, where he spent over 15 years in various capacities, most recently as chief operating officer of Edelman Malaysia and head of crisis for Southeast Asia from 2022 until 2026.
Sandpiper's Kuala Lumpur office launches with a founding team of 12 and will focus on insights and analytics, content strategy, stakeholder strategy and intelligence, in addition to crisis and issues management. The office is also intended to serve as a hub for AI-integrated capabilities within the wider Sandpiper network. CEO Emma Smith told Campaign: "I am excited to welcome Christopher to the Sandpiper family and to have his experience on our team as we focus on delivering innovative and advisory-led work for our clients in Malaysia, across Asia, and globally.”
Commonwealth Bank has appointed Howatson+Company as its creative agency partner following a competitive pitch, ending a 14-year relationship with incumbent agency M&C Saatchi. The agency will work alongside CommBank’s in-house team to lead brand strategy and creative direction, and will partner with the bank’s marketing teams on campaigns across the business. The shift comes as the bank looks to evolve how it connects with customers in a rapidly changing technology and media landscape, while continuing to build on the long-running “Can” brand platform. The new partnership is set to begin in the first half of FY27.
Indie agency Mindbox has been appointed agency of record for global technology brand Honor, following a competitive pitch. The mandate covers strategy, media, data and infrastructure across Australia and New Zealand, as the brand pushes further into the region across its 100-plus global markets.
- In addition, the agency has also been engaged by Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Foundation (RBWH Foundation) for strategic consulting, with a brief spanning marketing infrastructure, governance frameworks and media best practice.
- On the leadership front, Jessica To has been appointed managing partner, precision, taking responsibility
for client delivery, performance standards and day-to-day operations. Frazer Comley moves into the role of
managing partner, growth, leading new business development, market positioning and strategic direction. Former
72andSunny CCO Wez Hawes has joined Sydney-based
creative-led agency Outside In as creative partner.
Founded in 2025 by creatives Grace Leat, Jacque Kelly, and Lucie de La Chaise, the agency works directly with founders and CMOs to strengthen in‑house creative and strategic capabilities. Clients include Lyka, VUSH, P3 Recovery, Australian Marine Conservation Society, and Ardour Hotels.
Hawes, a former BBH London creative and senior leader at CHEP Network, Marcel Sydney, and Innocean, has led campaigns for Hyundai, Samsung, Lynx/Axe, NRMA Insurance, KIA, and Tiger Beer. He has collaborated with Outside In’s founders across multiple agencies over the past decade.Hong Kong‑based Media OutReach Newswire has appointed Justin Wong as chief operating officer. Wong brings over 20 years of leadership experience in operations and finance, with senior roles at Hutchison, Ogilvy, Brunswick, and FleishmanHillard. He joins the leadership team alongside founder and CEO Jennifer Kok, Greater China managing partner Kitty Lee, and Southeast Asia managing partner Pamela Phua. Together, they will oversee operations, client growth, and market expansion.
Hong Kong‑based Media OutReach Newswire has appointed Justin Wong as chief operating officer. Wong brings over 20 years of leadership experience in operations and finance, with senior roles at Hutchison, Ogilvy, Brunswick, and FleishmanHillard. He joins the leadership team alongside founder and CEO Jennifer Kok, Greater China managing partner Kitty Lee, and Southeast Asia managing partner Pamela Phua. Together, they will oversee operations, client growth, and market expansion.Dentsu India has won the integrated media mandate for Tata Group’s Indian Premier League (IPL), following a competitive multi‑agency pitch. The account consolidates media duties for Tata Motors, Voltas, TATA AIG, CaratLane, and Air India Express under one strategy, leveraging its capabilities across various disciplines including, data, AI and real-time optimisation to maximise impact and engagement throughout the tournament. The mandate covers planning and buying across TV, digital, OTT, social, and emerging platforms for the IPL season. Dentsu India has won the integrated media mandate for Tata Group’s Indian Premier League (IPL), following a competitive multi‑agency pitch. The account consolidates media duties for Tata Motors, Voltas, TATA AIG, CaratLane, and Air India Express under one strategy, leveraging its capabilities across various disciplines including, data, AI and real-time optimisation to maximise impact and engagement throughout the tournament. The mandate covers planning and buying across TV, digital, OTT, social, and emerging platforms for the IPL season.
IPREX, the global network of independent public relations and communications agencies, has made senior appointments.
- The network has named Nicole Reaney as Asia Pacific president, succeeding Anu Gupta of APRW in Singapore. Reaney is the CEO and founder of Sydney-based InsideOut PR, which she established in 2005 and has led for over 20 years. Prior to founding InsideOut PR, she spent six years as corporate affairs manager for South Pacific at Colgate-Palmolive. She is based in Sydney and assumed the APAC presidency in June 2026.
- Separately, Heidi Otway of SalterMitchell PR in Florida has begun her term as IPREX global president, taking over from Ann-Marie O'Sullivan of O'Sullivan PR in Cork, Ireland, who moves into the role of immediate past president.
Asahi Beverages has appointed media agency Mindshare Australia & New Zealand as its new media agency, effective July 1, to support brand growth. Winning a competitive pitch over PHD, the agency will handle national media strategy, planning and buying across Asahi’s iconic brands, including Carlton, Victoria Bitter, Great Northern, Hard Rated and Schweppes. In an official statement, Jarrod Holt, GM consumer experience at Asahi Beverages, said: “We were extremely impressed by Mindshare’s vision for the partnership and can’t wait to see it come to life. Mindshare has built a reputation in Australia for investing in client relationships to achieve significant results and we congratulate them on their appointment. I’d also like to express my gratitude for the time, energy and creativity all agencies brought to the competitive process.”
Maria Grivas, CEO at Mindshare ANZ commented: “We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with Asahi Beverages, at such an exciting point in their growth journey, and for the opportunity to demonstrate the role media can play as a genuine driver of long-term value and impact.”
Colgate-Palmolive’s EVP APAC Samir Singh leaves Singapore for New York to join the group’s leadership team as president, enterprise oral care. He joined the group over a year ago from Unilever, where he spent almost three decades leading in sales and marketing, holding various senior roles, including senior brand manager for skincare, regional marketing director for SEA and the Middle East, global brand director for Vaseline, as well as CMO and chair. In a LinkedIn post over the weekend, Singh said: “It’s been an amazing first 18 months at CP, working in APAC with a great team and boss, I am very grateful to them for all the progress we made in the business, and the immense personal learning.”
Publicis Groupe Indonesia has announced its acquisition of media agencies Inter Pariwara Global and iLab Indonesia. The agencies will officially join under Spark Foundry Indonesia, strengthening the group’s media capabilities by combining local expertise with global data, technology, and innovation. Indonesia remains one of Southeast Asia’s fastest‑growing markets, and this acquisition deepens the group's footprint across the region.
Australia Post has tapped Accenture Song as its media agency of record, effective June 1, following a competitive pitch. The remit spans media strategy, planning, activation, and performance, with a strong focus on AI‑enabled solutions and customer engagement
