Move and win roundup: JWT, Signal, Xaxis, Ogilvy, DigitasLBi and more

PEOPLE MOVES

Adobe named Alan Chan as general manager of digital media for Hong Kong and Taiwan, responsible for the Creative Cloud and Document Cloud businesses. He most recently served as director of the public sector group at Microsoft Hong Kong.

Xaxis appointed Nancy Yang, formerly sales director with Yahoo, as the head of Xaxis Taiwan. 

J. Walter Thompson Bangkok appointed João Braga as chief creative officer. He joins from Ogilvy Singapore, where he was global creative director on Pond's and other regional accounts. Prior to that role, he spent over three years in Portugal as creative director and later executive creative director at Publicis.

J. Walter Thompson Kuala Lumpur hired Lau Kuan Cheng as digital business director. She was most recently group head of marketing for The BIG Group, overseeing more than 12 food-related brands spanning 30 outlets in Malaysia, and has also been head of relationship experience marketing and digital business director at Leo Burnett. 

Malaysian brand innovation agency C27 appointed: Nicholas Hon, previously digital art director with Compass Interactive and Vivaki, as associate creative director; Lee Su San, previously with Havas Media and Virus Communications, as associate creative director; Nic Low, previously with Sparkfury, Immerse and BBDO Malaysia, as senior art director; and Joseph Pek, formerly of Lion & Lion and Kiehl’s Malaysia, as social media lead.

Identity platform Signal appointed Jonathan Smith as commercial director for Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Based in Melbourne, he will lead sales efforts for Signal and AmplifyIQ, the company’s audience solution. He has held senior positions at Amobee, Yahoo 7, and Adconion Media Group.

ICYMI: Other moves and news from this week Hoffman Agency names APAC MD TBWA/Hakuhodo invests in an innovation workshop Unlockd secures partnership with Axiata Havas acquires India-based health agency Sorento R/GA promises respectful disruption as it launches in Japan Mindshare tipped to prevail in Yum China pitch

BUSINESS WINS

Following a competitive pitch, Ogilvy Public Relations’ specialist technology agency, Howorth Communications, added Riverbed Technology to its roster. Charged with raising brand awareness in Australia and New Zealand, Howorth will drive an integrated communications strategy and content program across all earned and owned channels.

DigitasLBi was appointed to support Electrolux APAC in the re-launch of its APAC website.

The work will be led out of Hong Kong, but will focus on relaunching the website in six markets: Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia.

OTHER NEWS

Independent B2B-focused brand and marketing agencies Adsmith China and Aloft Group have joined to form Brandigo. Brandigo\China is based in Shanghai, and Brandigo\North America is based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. 

Composers and sound designers Lukas Farry and Alejandro (Alex) Gomez launched Otis Studios, a sound post-production and original music composition studio in Sydney.