Welcome to Campaign’s 40 Under 40, our annual list of the brightest, high-achieving young people in the marketing communications business. 

Each year, the 40 Under 40 projects pulls in our entire editorial team to review the entries from countries, sectors and industries. This year, we received a record number of entries — over 1,500 — making it a long and intense process to whittle down this vast talent of Asia’s rising starts to a mere 40 names. The last final decisions were the hardest and over the next few pages, you’ll meet the disruptors, innovators and top thinkers. So prepare to be inspired.

This issue includes an exclusive interview with WPP chief executive officer, Sir Martin Sorrell, held during his recent visit to Singapore. In a year that’s marked by flat growth in many markets, Sorrell shares his forecast on the remainder of this year and why consolidation among the holding groups is not a case of if, but when.

—Atifa Silk, brand director, Campaign Asia-Pacific

CONTENTS

04 Voices
Matt Sutton and Jay Morgan tackle innovation

06 Need to know
The latest news from around the industry

12 Iinnovation
The future is predetermined: get ready for it

16 Insight
Asian brands respond to ethical expectations

20 Intelligence
Japanese brands gear up for Tokyo 2020

24 Influence
International sports properties set their sights on Asia’s fertile grounds; Josy Paul on rewards

28 Marketer’s profile
Mondelez’s Bryan Rakowski takes the biscuit

30 The Atifa Silk Interview
Sir Martin Sorrell takes aim at violent omelette-making and sizes up Google

38 Cover Story: 40 under 40
Young, energetic and fired up: meet the rising stars who will lead the industry into tomorrow

54 Spikes Asia 2016
The low-down on all the goings-on at the Festival of Creativity, including the winning and losing nations on the awards leaderboard and our team’s top takes from the three-day event

60 Private view
Nora Manjit and Suthisak Sucharittanonta pull no punches in their reviews of recent ads

62 Best Places to Work
TBWA Singapore and Havas Kuala Lumpur