| Campaign compiles a new 'Move and win roundup' as each week
progresses. This edition will cover May 4 through May 8, 2026. Catch up on past people moves and business wins. |
Robinsons Retail Holdings has made two senior appointments in the Philippines. Angela Totanes joins as chief marketing officer, overseeing corporate branding and integrated marketing across the group's business units. Azaleah Amina Rillo takes on the role of chief data officer, leading data and analytics, customer data management and data-driven growth initiatives. Both Totanes and Rillo have served the company in leadership roles for more than 14 years and will report directly to the president and chief executive officer, Stanley Co., effective May 1.
UM Australia appoints Jessica Lauria as managing director, Sydney. Lauria brings 25 years of experience in global brand marketing and leadership roles. This strategic move by the Sydney-based media agency reflects a deliberate shift away from traditional agency leadership pathways, bringing a fresh, client-centric perspective to the agency – driving strategic growth while building high-performing culture.
Indie shop Weird Co. has won Honda Australia’s social and content agency contract after a competitive review process. The digital marketing and social media agency will lead content and social strategies across the brand’s portfolio, including cars, motorcycles, power equipment and marine. Weird Co. joins the company’s roster of agencies during a pivotal phrase for the brand’s Australian arm as it sharpens its focus on introducing its hybrid technology across a range of new models.
Skin cancer screening tech brand MoleMap Australia & New Zealand has tapped Bread Agency to lead its social media and digital marketing strategies. The digital marketing agency will oversee creative campaigns, social activations, content production, influencer marketing and community engagement to drive awareness, education and patient acquisition across both markets.
Several Singapore statutory boards have concluded PR agency pitches, with AKA, IPG Dxtra, and Ninemer Communications taking the respective accounts.
- Science Centre Board has appointed AKA as its public relations agency from April 1, on a one-year contract with an option to extend for a further year. The agency, whose clients include StarHub, beat Redhill, FINN Partners, and H/Advisors in the pitch. The mandate covers PR, creative production, and overseas media engagement, and is valued at US$347,000 (S$442,400). AKA replaces Zeno Communications, which held the Science Centre Board PR mandate since 2024.
- The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore has awarded its public relations and media monitoring mandate to IPG Dxtra. The contract is worth US$322,000 (S$411,000) for a one-year term with an option to extend. The mandate covers PR, media monitoring, and in-market media support for intellectual property. IPOS received pitches from Ruder Finn and H/Advisors, among other indie agencies.
- Yellow Ribbon Singapore, the outreach arm of the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises, has handed its PR consultancy mandate to Ninemer Communications on a four-year contract worth US$471,000 (S$601,000). The pitch drew submissions from AKA, Redhill, and Ruder Finn. The remit spans PR strategy, events management, media engagement, and account services, with a focus on building public awareness of the Yellow Ribbon cause in supporting the reintegration of ex-offenders.
Nathan Petralia has exited his role as Hong Kong country head of Ogilvy One and Verticurl. He joined the agency in 2025 to drive growth through client relationships and new business, with a focus on digital transformation, CX, data, and omnichannel marketing. Petralia previously led product strategy at Buy Social and served as managing director of Merkle Hong Kong.
Dentsu has retired its Carat and iProspect media agency brands in Australia, consolidating them under a single brand. The structural shift is meant to simplify operations, sharpen focus and deliver greater scale. Under the new model, Dentsu’s media business will be led by a single managing director in each state, all reporting to Chris Ernst, chief practice officer, media. In Victoria, Richard Lehocz has been appointed managing director, media.
Meanwhile, in Vietnam, Thu Nguyen has been named CEO of Dentsu Vietnam, succeeding Sanjay Bhasin, who will continue to oversee the market in his role as CEO, Southeast Asia. Nguyen brings more than two decades of experience across digital, media, and integrated marketing. He previously founded Ambient Digital, one of Vietnam’s leading independent digital agencies, which later became part of dentsu.
Sydney-based Brad Stevens, formerly of Dept and M&C Saatchi, has launched a new boutique creative agency, Never. Always, with a mission to deliver creative work “at partner’s pace.” The agency will focus on brand creation and creative campaigns tailored to digital businesses and products. Early foundation clients include LawConnect and AEYIA.
Melbourne-based independent agency Sunday Gravy has secured KFC Australia’s creative account, ending the fast-food giant’s 32-year partnership with Ogilvy. Following the win, Sunday Gravy has stepped away from its work with fellow quick-service restaurant brand Nando’s, concluding a three-year collaboration.
Rahul Thappa has exited Dentsu Singapore as its managing director, media and CXM. In a LinkedIn post, he described his tenure as “short but meaningful.” In just over a year, he spearheaded the development of Vulcan, an AI-driven media platform now adopted across Dentsu Southeast Asia. Citing personal and professional considerations, Thappa will be returning to his hometown of Gurgaon, India.
Kayley Hui has been appointed head of brand and marketing at Sun Life Hong Kong, effective 30 March 2026. She brings over 15 years of marketing experience in FMCG, retail and lifestyle sectors across Greater China. Hui will lead brand strategy and marketing initiatives, focusing on market share growth and strengthening the company’s presence in the local insurance market. She reports to Adley Low, chief client and marketing officer. Previously, Hui was marketing director, Health & Beauty at Mannings for Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China. She has also held senior roles at P&G, K11, Green Monday, and DFI Retail Group.
Boopin taps former GroupM executive Maneesheel Gautam as regional managing director to drive Southeast Asia expansion. Based in Indonesia, Gautam spent nearly two decades at Mindshare, including five years as digital leader for Southeast Asia. He later launched and led GroupM Nexus Indonesia for over four years, overseeing areas such as content, social marketing, live commerce and data technology.
At Boopin, Gautam will focus on delivering measurable business impact by combining creativity, data, and scalable execution powered by AI.
Pioneer skin cancer screening tech brand MoleMap Australia has tapped Brea Agency to lead its social media and digital marketing strategies. The digital marketing agency will oversee creative campaigns, social activations, content production, influencer marketing and community engagement to drive awareness, education and patient acquisition across both markets. After a comprehensive review, CMO of MoleMap Duncan Armour said: The team demonstrated a clear understanding of our clinical-first approach and how to translate that into trusted, effective social experiences that engage patients and referrers alike.
Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. has announced two new appointments in its effort to strengthen its marketing and data capabilities.
Angela Totanes has been appointed as chief marketing officer. She will spearhead corporate branding and enterprise-wide marketing initiatives across Robinsons Retail, driving integrated campaigns and strengthening collaboration across business units
Meanwhile, Azaleah Amina Rillo will step into her role as chief data officer, leading data and analytics initiatives, while leading customer data management and advancing data-driven programs to support customer engagement, insights and business growth.
Both Rillo and Totanes have served the company in leadership roles for more than 14 years and will report directly to president and chief executive officer, Stanley Co., effective 1 May 2026.
