Yoichi Kinoshita, currently DDB Japan’s general manager, will take on an extended role to lead Rapp. According to a statement from the agency, Kinoshita will concentrate on building data, direct, digital and mobile marketing strategies.
Separately, the firm has promoted Cairo Marsh, who was formerly based in New York, to the position of new business director and chief relationship manager and strategist.
In the statement, DDB Group Japan’s president and chief executive Takeshi Takeda said that Rapp provided “massive opportunities” in Japan.
“With social networking growing rapidly, there is a real demand to capture and use data to build greater relationships with the Japanese consumer.”
Rapp’s regional chief executive, Mohammed Sirajuddeen (pictured), added that the Japan office would play a “pivotal” role in the rejuvenation of the agency in Asia. He added that data driven marketing represented major growth potential in the market.
Rapp operates in 12 markets across Asia Pacific. Its client portfolio includes Air France, ANZ Bank, Canon, Disney, Exxon Mobil, Financial Times, Hewlett Packard and McDonald’s among others. The agency re-branded from Rapp Collins last November.
