Move and win roundup: Week of March 26, 2018

Campaign compiles a new 'Move and win roundup' as each week progresses.  This edition will cover March 26 through 30, 2018.  Catch up on past people moves and business wins.

IPG agency Octagon announced that Simone Errey will return from maternity leave as APAC head of operations, a newly created roleoverseeingthe agency's offices in Sydney, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing and Mumbai. The company also hired John Weir, most recently in-house creative director at Optus, as creative director, reporting to Lizi Hamer, regional creative director. 

Omnicom Health Group expanded in Japan with the acquisition of the pharma communications business of Elsevier in Japan. The unit, which has been in operation for 38 years, has rebranded as EMC. Takao Ozawa will lead as managing director. A statement from Omnicom Group pointed to client demand for expansion of global initiatives in Japan, which is the world’s second-largest healthcare market.

Vizeum Malaysia appointed Chinar Joshi as managing director. He joined Vizeum last year as general manager, strategy, from IPG Mediabrands. He succeeds Wong Siew Wai, who has left to pursue other opportunities. 

Australian communications firm Sling & Stone announced a series of new client wins - Data61, Daisee, Xandra and InStitchu. The agency also hired several new staff: Bradley Tubb as senior PR director, Alana Theodor as account director, Kimberly Lorman as account manager in Los Angeles, Charlie Shaw as senior account manager and Santi Arya-Pinatyh as account coordinator. 

Kantar appointed 23-year company veteran Nitin Nishandar as chief commercial officer of its Insights Division (Kantar TNS and Kantar Millward Brown) across North Asia, Southeast Asia and Pacific, as well as CEO for Vietnam. In the newly-created CCO role, he will lead the strategy and execution on key accounts, as well as new business development.

Havas Jakarta announced its appointment as creative AOR for the Honda CB 150 Versza, a motorcycle brand, following a pitch that concluded in November. The agency rolled out a launch campaign for the bike earlier this month.

Meltwater acquired social data platform DataSift, a privacy-by-design business with a deep AI-driven analytics offering. Founded in 2010, DataSift has more than 15 data partners, and its acquisiton will bolster Meltwater's analytics and technology-driven insights capabilities.

Omnicom Media Group has been awarded the digital mandate for TATA Motors Passenger Vehicles in India following a competitive market review that lasted over two months.  OMG will now set up a new bespoke unit, TATA@OMG, to manage the business.

Sani Ahmed joined The Purpose Group Vietnam as vice president and head of client services. He was most recently with Ogilvy Vietnam and Ogilvy Indonesia.

IAB Singapore, Singapore's Economic Development Board and Workforce Singapore launched a new educational course for programmatic advertising. The Adapt and Grow Professional Conversion Programme will encompass classroom and on-the-job training, and is open to Singaporean citizens and permanent residents with two years' work experience may apply for the six-month course. 

Canon Marketing (Malaysia) appointed Ogilvy Malaysia as its communications agency for a year beginning this month. Ogilvy will manage all public relations and influence activities across Canon's corporate, consumer and business divisions and covering all its products including cameras, printers and professional printing systems.

Infiniti appointed Antoine Malin as global social marketing manager, based in the company’s Hong Kong headquarters. Malin was formerly social team lead at Saatchi & Saatchi Tokyo, which is now under the Publicis One umbrella. He spent 5.5 years at the agency, leading social-media duties for Lexus among other major luxury brands.

BBH Singapore has hired creative director Mara Vidal, most recently from The Corner, in London. Vidal, who has also worked for Fallon, Digitas, Mother and Google's 'Across the Pond',  will mainly focus on IKEA in her new role at BBH.