2025 Jury

Abhinit is a strategy leader with 17yrs of work experience across leading advertising agencies in Singapore and India.

Currently, he is the Executive Strategy Director at TBWA\Singapore, leading strategy for Singapore Airlines, Hilton, Mandai Wildlife Reserve. In his past stints at Ogilvy, VML, Publicis, MullenLowe and DDB, he has led strategy for a range of iconic brands such as Heineken, McDonald’s, Volkswagen, Skoda, Twitter, P&G (Head & Shoulders, Oral-B). Unilever (Vaseline, Comfort, Lux, Pond’s) and Johnson & Johnson (OneTouch).

Throughout his advertising career, he has won 14 effectiveness awards (including APAC Effie GOLD and India Effie GOLD) across APAC Effie, Singapore Effie, India Effie and Creative Strategy & Effectiveness Spikes Asia.

He consistently features in the jury panel of prestigious awards such as APAC Effie, Effie Singapore, New York Festivals AME Awards and Shorty Awards.

Abhinit also has more than 10 years of experience as a guest lecturer in reputed institutes such as Miami Ad School, NTU Wee Kim Wee School of Communication, SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Leeds University Business School and Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad (MICA), teaching subjects related to marketing, branding, advertising and strategic planning.

Adrian joined DDB in 2015, and has since led strategic thinking on both local and regional business. Joining as a Senior Planner, he was promoted to Chief Strategy Officer in 2024.

Adrian’s career started in brand consulting, specializing in corporate branding and communications at Brand Union. Prior to DDB, he also spent time at start-up Nanoleaf, helping them launch their brand.

Since joining DDB his account experience is now wide-ranging and all-encompassing, including Lee Kum Kee, Tiger Brokers, Octopus, Mannings, Dairy Farm International, and more.

Adrian drives strategy through a rare combination of long term, big picture thinking and an astute insight into both commercial implications and human behavior. As a result of this approach, in collaboration with creative partners, he has produced multiple award-winning campaigns and is a regular panel judge at the APAC Effie Awards. In 2024, he was listed on Campaign Asia’s 40 under 40, and awarded Greater China Strategic/Brand Planner of the Year.

Born and bred in Hong Kong, Adrian was educated in the U.S. with a BA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. His interests are eclectic and diverse, ranging from mixed martial arts to web3, and from gaming to behavior economics.

Amna Khatib Paracha is the Managing Director for Mindshare Pakistan, the leading media agency for Pakistan. In her previous role at GroupM, she was the Chief Digital and Strategy Officer at GroupM Pakistan.

A dynamic leader who has been credited for setting up and establishing successful media setups across GroupM Pakistan, Converge Technologies and Universal McCann- Orient in Pakistan. She setup Digital for GroupM in 2014, which has grown to be the most successful digital company across Pakistan, delivering award winning campaigns, world-class talent, and successful business results.

Recently she has also been given the lead for GroupM Nexus, which includes Xaxis and INCA in Pakistan, which are GroupM’s regional products.

Amna's expertise is spread across Strategic Planning, Leadership, Innovation and Setting up successful business operations.

Andrew is an award-winning strategist who leads the strategy team across Brand Strategy and Customer Experience. His strategic focus is to create connected brands that have a strong emotional connection with their customers and deliver customer first brand experiences leading to strong commercial growth for his clients. With broad experience working with top tier clients he has developed and implemented work for clients including: FMCG (Coca-Cola, Lion), Education (University of Queensland, Bond Uni and TAFE), Retail (TABCORP, TerryWhite Chemmart, Amart Furniture and Foot Locker), Banking (Comm Bank, CUA, Suncorp, Bupa) and Travel (Tourism and Events Queensland, Air Asia).

Andrew has also worked extensively on a number of large scale brand transformation campaigns for retail clients such as Amart furniture, TerryWhite Chemmart and The Coffee Club. These brand campaigns all celebrated a strong brand and customer truth that was discovered through a range of research tools including leveraging BAV®, the largest and longest quantitative study of brands globally which is a proprietary research tool of VMLY&R. He leads that research survey here in Australia working closely with the global team to roll out each year.

As Executive Creative Director at Havas Ortega Group, Angie leads the agency’s creative vision to make a meaningful impact for Havas Village clients in media, digital, CRM, PR, branding, healthcare, and sustainability.

Before joining advertising, she was a radio DJ and newscaster for some of Metro Manila’s top FM stations—an experience that ignited her passion for storytelling. Her two-decade journey in the industry has taken her to Ogilvy, TBWA\SMP and Ace Saatchi & Saatchi in the Philippines, and Grey Group in Malaysia.

Angie’s work has earned both local and international recognition, with awards for creativity and effectiveness, and she has served as a juror at prestigious festivals such as Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Adfest, One Asia, APAC Effie, ADC Awards, and D&AD, among others. She is also a regular speaker and panelist at industry events. In 2024, Angie served as President of the 4As Philippines Creative Guild, where she spearheaded CreativeFest 2024—the first in-person festival for the Philippine advertising community after the pandemic—and the 16th Kidlat Awards, the country’s premier creative advertising awards show.

Committed to nurturing the next generation of creative talent, Angie mentors university students and frequently judges both local and international young creatives competitions.

She is currently working on a personal project to transform an abandoned school in her home province into a vibrant creative hub—a space for artists, writers, and lifelong learners to collaborate. For Angie, creativity is not just a career; it’s a way to build communities and drive change.

Throughout his illustrious career, Asawin Phanichwatana has won numerous accolades including being named Southeast Asia Creative Person of the Year. He has been a grand jury / jury president at regional and international awards shows including Cannes Lions, New York Festivals, Spikes Asia, Dubai Lynx, AdFest and many more. He is a regular guest speaker at various universities, and frequently hosts workshops for marketers and creatives across the globe. He is also the current President of Bangkok Art Directors' Association as well as its affiliate school that helps nurture next generation talents.

A marketing specialist that believes that true marketing begins with data led insights on the customers and market landscape. Being in both creative and media agencies provided her with the exposure and experience in varied industries and with her role in a leading Malaysian Telco, her unique strength is bringing a holistic view on marketing and communications. Currently in dentsu Malaysia, leading dentsu-jins in the transformation journey to innovate to impact and be a force for good.

Badong is Founding Partner of GIGIL, winner in the APAC Effies 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and for creativity in the Cannes Lions Festival 2021, 2022 and 2024.

Under his stewardship, GIGIL became the No. 1 independent agency in Asia in Campaign Brief Asia’s 2021 and 2023 Creative Rankings; The Drum’s 'Top Ranked APAC Agency' in its 2023 World Creative Rankings; Ad Age’s ‘International Small Agency of the Year' in 2021; and the fastest-growing ad agency in the Asia-Pacific, according to the Financial Times in 2023.

He was named by Campaign Brief Asia as one of the ’Top 10 Most Awarded Creative Leaders in Asia’ in 2021, and the 'Philippines' Most Awarded Creative Director' in 2023 and 2024.

Badong was included in 2021 by Adweek in its ‘Creative 100' list—an annual celebration of the world’s top creative professionals, icons, and game changers.

Ben has over a decade of Effie awards, involvement and recognition. In 2012 Ben helped Amnesia Razorfish to become the first digital agency to win an Australian Effie. He then went on to Co-Chair the Australian APG and reshape the Australian Effie categories twice with the local steering committee. More recently as CSO and co-owner of AnalogFolk Australia Ben led the agency to no less than 7 local Effie Finalists, as well digital, social and content APAC agency of the year awards. In 2021 the agency won a Gold APAC Effie for Hyundai #4secondreviews, which went on to represent the region at the global best of the best Effie awards. In 2024 Bastion acquired AnalogFolk Australia to ‘redefine the landscape of digital marketing services’ and recently launched Bastion DBX - led by Ben Hourahine and Matt Robinson – their specialist Digital Brand Experience unit.

With 16 years of experience, Bitop is a hybrid strategist with expertise in portfolio strategy, brand strategy, creative communication, digital and content. He has been with Grey Group for 12 years and has risen up to be a home grown planner in a network that believes in being borderless to produce famously effective works. He is now heading the strategy department of both Grey Group Bangladesh and JWTGrey Pakistan. He has played an instrumental role in helping the Bangladesh office enhance the depth and breadth of their total integrated strategy services and create purposeful enduring brands.

His contribution has helped Grey Bangladesh win Global Effie, APAC Effie, Cannes Lions, Warc Awards, Adfest, AdStars and many others. He has won Global Grand Effie in 2022; Grand Effie, Gold Effie and Silver Effie in APAC Effie 2021; Grand Prix and Category Disruptor Special award in WARC Prize for Asian Strategy 2020. He has been published in various marketing publications including WARC. He has contributed to Campaign Asia’s insights on Bangladesh brands for their Asia Top 1000 Brands series.

He has been in the esteemed jury panel of APAC Effie 2024, 2023, 2022 & 2021, Effie Pakistan 2025, 2024, Spikes Asia 2025, Warc Prize for Asian Strategy 2021, Tangrams Strategy & Effectiveness 2021 and AdFest 2020 & 2021.

Charlotte Auyeung (Char), born and raised in Hong Kong and living in Japan for 20 years, is a multicultural marketing communications professional with 20+ years of experience in account management and strategic planning at global advertising agencies including McCann Erickson and Leo Burnett in Hong Kong, Beacon Communications, Naked Communications and TBWA/Hakuhodo in Tokyo, where she led the strategies for companies such as P&G, Philip Morris, The Coca-Cola Company, McDonald's, IKEA, Airbnb, H&M and more.

In 2019, she took on a marketing role at Netflix Japan, where she led campaigns for popular shows including "Stranger Things," "The Naked Director," and "Alice in Borderland." In February 2024, with a wealth of experience and a strong passion for cultural insight, strategic storytelling and creative excellence, Char joined the McCann Worldgroup family in Tokyo as Head of Strategy.

Chris has found success in the space between creativity and technology. His combined marketing agency, startup, and enterprise experience gives him a well-rounded perspective of the different challenges companies in various stages of growth encounter.

Currently, he is the General Manager of GrowthOps Malaysia, an APAC Marketing Transformation agency, leading 160+ diverse creative, consulting, technology, and marketing talent.

Prior to GrowthOps, he was the Global CMO for Everise, a Digital Customer Experience firm with over 10,000 employees and present in 7 markets. There he led the rebranding of multiple acquisitions and repositioned Everise from a traditional call center into a leading digital customer experience firm, which supported the acquisition of Everise by Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE:BAM) in January 2021.

One such acquisition that Everise made was Hyperlab, Southeast Asia's leading Conversational AI firm, which Chris Co-founded in 2016. There he led Hyperlab's product marketing and consulting services before being acquired by Everise in 2018, when he shifted into the CMO role.

Other notable awards and accomplishments include leading GrowthOps to 3X Campaign Asia's leading Customer Engagement Agency, a couple of EFFIE's and Mumbrella’s Campaign of the Year. Chris is also a multiple-time Malaysian and APAC EFFIE Awards Judge, a STEVIES Awards judge, and has contributed articles for Campaign Asia, TechinAsia, Marketing Magazine, Branding in Asia and Customer Think on the intersect of technology and marketing.

Chris started his career at Wunderman in New York working on the American Express Platinum and Optima Cards. During this time he also served as a key member of the team that launched the Optima Card in Japan. Since then, Chris has worked on clients such as VISA International / USA, National Football League, Apple, Gore-Tex, United States Postal Service, Harrah’s Casinos, and AT&T, all of which has provided for his unique combination of management, branding and holistic communications credentials.

As the Chief Operating Officer of TBWA\HAKUHODO, Chris continues to lead the agency down its path of success, including its tenth year of being named Japan's Creative Agency of the Year and 2018, 2020 and 2024 Agency Head of the Year by Campaign Magazine.

Christina started her career as a client at Unilever 25 years ago.

After getting a solid grounding in marketing and category management, she jumped ship and found a permanent home as a strategist, speaking the many languages of strategy – business, marketing, brand and comms.

Christina has contributed to award-winning, effective campaigns across an array of clients (Retail, Finance, FMCG) and is most proud of the behaviour change work she has been part of in both the commercial and social marketing sector, including domestic violence, anti-vaping and road safety initiatives.

An industry commentator (diversity and memory science) and regular panellist on ABC’s Gruen, Christina has led BMF to be the most effective agency in Australia (2017, 2019 and most recently 2024) and number 3 in the world in the WARC Creative Effectiveness ratings.

Connie leads OMD China with a focus on developing strong client partnerships, driving growth and creativity, and inspiring teams. With three decades of experience and her sharp business acumen, she has steered OMD China towards growth.

Throughout her career, Connie has proven to be a passionate leader. She has established for herself a reputation for strategic leadership that drives positive change and encourages growth. Connie is a strong believer in mentoring and embraces the importance of sharing experiences and knowledge to help build the next generation of leaders.

Connie knows that great work that drives growth must have the right combination and the highest standards of effectiveness and creativity. Being actively involved in the industry is the best way to set these standards. Connie has been actively involved in the most important industry awards in the region including Head of Jury for the 2023 APAC Effie on the Jury for Spikes Asia and Warc in 2024.

She is currently the leader for the Omniwomen Chapter in China. Omniwomen serves as a catalyst for increasing the influence and number of women leaders throughout the Omnicom Group network.

David Dahan has 25 years of experience, leading agencies, networks and global clients in Paris, London, Melbourne, and Singapore. David started his career as a brand and communication strategist. He moved to Asia in 2005 and has spent 15 years in the region, building an intimate knowledge of the various markets – their culture and nuances.

David has an extensive FMCG experience having worked with Unilever and J&J for many years. Across his career, David has worked on a suite of very iconic Brands such as Nestea, Mars, Dulux, Mercedes-Benz, Stayfree, Nicorette, Gillette, Emirates and many Unilever brands – Dove, DiG, Axe, Hellmann’s, Pond’s, Vaseline, Clear, Sunsilk, and Comfort.

For the past 5 years, David is the WPP@Unilever lead, based in Singapore. A bespoke global hub across creative, media, design, making 130+ dedicated talents and 10 WPP companies collaborate, offering the best of WPP to Unilever. David is also the APAC leader of T&Pm, an agency network bringing media, creative, and production together, powered by AI.

In 2024, David was particularly proud to win, the first Cannes Grand Prix ever won in Singapore, a Glass Grand Prix for Vaseline. First ever Cannes Grand Prix for Vaseline in a 150 year history. An innovative project that saw the launch of a new product, driving business and brand equity growth in Thailand, second largest market for Vaseline globally. David is a strong believer that Creativity is the most powerful weapon for any brand to drive innovation and growth.

Dheeraj leads the FCB Group in India, comprising four brands: FCB Ulka, FCB Interface, FCB India, and FCB Kinnect. He is the author of two bestsellers on the Indian consumer market - India Reloaded, published by Westland in India and Palgrave internationally and Consumer India, published by John Wiley & Sons, which is recommended at Wharton Business School’s course on emerging markets. Dheeraj hosts a podcast, Speakeasy with Dheeraj Sinha, now in its fourth season, discussing leadership, start-ups and brands in the new age.

Dheeraj has helped build several brands in India, including Spotify, Amazon, PhonePe, Sensodyne, Airtel, Oreo, and PepsiCo. He has spoken at the Cannes Lions Festival of Advertising, The Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity, the Next 4 Billion Conference, Denmark, the Harvard India Conference, Boston, and the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Festival.

Dheeraj and his teams have won several Cannes Lions, including a Grand Prix. He has won the categories of effectiveness, innovation, creative business transformation, and sustainable development goals. In 2023, his team won 11 Cannes Lions, taking Leo Burnett Mumbai to the top 8 on the WARC Creative 100 list. Dheeraj took the agency to No.2 in India Effies, winning the Grand Prix and No.1 in APAC Effies. He has been a juror at Spikes Asia Creative Effectiveness, WARC Strategy, and APAC Effies awards. Dheeraj has won the Jay Chiat Planning Award, the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Award and the Yahoo Big Idea Chair. Dheeraj has been on AdAge’s (India) Ad People of the Year list. He was amongst the top 40 advertising and marketing professionals in Asia Pacific in Campaign Asia’s top 40 under 40 list

Dom is Chief Strategy Officer at Howatson+Company . She’s been part of the rapidly growing agency team since its first year. Now in year four, it’s a powerhouse of 180 staff claiming Independent agency of the year at D&AD, Cannes (Good), Spikes, ANDY’s, LIA, AdNews and Mumbrella.

She has led strategic projects for some of Australia’s biggest brands, delivering award winning work for Domain, ABC, Modibodi, Westpac, Petbarn and J&J.

Prior to H+Co she was Head of Planning at DDB for six years, in 2019 she was DDB Group employee of the year. Dom has worked in CX and digital agencies as Head of Strategy for Wunderman and Planning Director at MOJO and Lavender.

Dom contributes regularly to the industry, judging at AMEs, Award and Effies. She has taught strategy at Ad School and Miami Ad School and co-hosts a podcast, The Junior Mafia, to give the perspective of young people in the industry a voice.

Before starting a career in advertising, Dom worked as a client-side marketer in publishing, as a designer, and as photographer for the NSW police department.

Ed is currently the Executive Creative Director of R/GA - a multi-disciplinary creative company that innovates for global brands. Since dropping out of University, his exploits have been featured on CNN, Contagious, Mashable, PSFK, Channel News Asia, Fast Company and somehow even Teen Vogue. Some of which have also been recognised by One Show, D&AD, Clios, Webby, Spikes, AdFest, and other beauty pageants. But of course, bagging a Gold APAC Effie remains a Top 10 highlight. He has also played jury at Spikes Asia, Adfest, One Screen Film Festival, Citra Pariwara, ECI Awards, APAC Effie and Webby. A speaker at Spikes Asia, Gif Fest, Singapore Design Festival, and Nas Summit.

None of which impresses his wife till he does the dishes.

As Publicis Groupe Malaysia’s CCO, Emir works with a talented bunch of misfits from Leo, Digitas, Prodigious and Publicis Media. Over the past year, this team has been named Malaysia’s top agency at Cannes Lions, alongside being named Malaysia’s creative agency of the year at Campaign Asia AOY, TikTok Ad Awards and Kancil Awards, plus Malaysia’s #1 agency at the Campaign Brief Creative Rankings 2023–2024.

What drives Emir is his love for the crazy, exciting “what ifs” on the intersection of tech, creativity and humanity. With a bit of luck, some of these “what ifs” have earned recognition at shows including EFFIES, WARC (Global and APAC), Cannes Lions, SXSW Interactive Innovation Award, London International Awards, New York Festivals, ADC Tomorrow Awards, Spikes Asia, ADFEST, One Show Asia, MAD STARS, Singapore CCAs and the Kancils.

Emir currently co-chairs the 4As Malaysia Creative Council, and has judged at shows including NY Festivals, ADFEST, Spikes Asia, EFFIES, Dubai Lynx and MAD STARS. Emir also served as the Kancil Awards Jury Chairperson (2019–2022), where he worked with industry leaders to revamp Malaysia’s premier creative award show, including building the most diverse gender, expertise, and independent outfit jury representation in the show’s history.

Eugenia is the Managing Partner of GOODSTUPH, an independent Creative Agency in Southeast Asia that does platform-agnostic advertising with the goal of making consumers fall in love with brands.

100% independent since day 1, GOODSTUPH has made a name for itself by delivering on award-winning campaigns year after year for the likes of Netflix, Riot Games, Twitch, HBO, Google, United Overseas Bank, Hewlett-Packard, Unilever and other large corporations. Eugenia has a proven record in driving business growth, shaping brands, and turning strategy into impact. From scrappy startups to global organizations, she has helped businesses cut through noise, build relevance, and create real value.

She has been named Top 50 Southeast Asia Women of the Future 2018, Campaign Asia – Women to Watch 2017, and won Hall of Fame’s Business Lead of the Year 2018.

Firrdaus likes ideas. So agencies in Dubai, London, and Singapore have paid his bills in exchange for thinking of ideas for them. Some ideas were featured on CNN, Forbes, and Bloomberg. Some were exhibited in museums in New York and Paris. Some even got talked about by people with really big pay checks. Like the Prime Minister of Singapore. One idea led to McDonald's Singapore's best-selling product ever in their 40-year history. Another idea brought home the nation's first-ever FWA Project of the Year.

It all led to some people at CampaignBrief Asia to rank him as the no.1 Creative in Singapore in 2023 - along with half of his creative department in the top 6. In fact, the same people also ranked Forsman&Bodenfors Singapore as the top agency in the country. All those achievements have culminated in the ultimate accolade; the invitation to write about himself in third person.

For over 27 years, Giri has built a distinguished career shaping brands that resonate deeply with consumers. He is a proven transformative leader, consistently challenging conventional thinking to deliver exceptional business growth and build high-performing, sustainable teams. His entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering passion for creating distinctive, impactful work are hallmarks of his leadership.

Giri's extensive experience includes two impactful tenures at Ogilvy, spanning diverse disciplines and geographies. During his initial period, as Head of Ogilvy Action, he revolutionized industry standards, establishing a highly profitable business model that was subsequently adopted across the Ogilvy network. As Managing Director of Ogilvy Mumbai, he spearheaded the office's remarkable doubling of revenue and its recognition as WPP's Global Office of the Year in 2006.

In 2008, Giri transitioned to Star TV Network (Disney Network), where he successfully launched two regional channels, rapidly propelling them to market leadership in highly competitive environments.

In 2009, Giri returned to Ogilvy in Singapore to lead the Unilever Asia business. He built a strong regional team and business model, winning the Hellmann's UFS Global account and delivering integrated solutions across Asia.

As Chief Operating Officer of Ogilvy Singapore (2012-2014), Giri restructured the agency into a client-centric organization, championing a culture of pervasive creativity. Subsequently, as Vice President of Ogilvy Asia, he played a pivotal role in driving revenue growth for the agency's Top 50 clients, transforming agency practices, and reshaping the client offering in a dynamic market environment.

In his current role as Chief Client Officer – APAC, Giri is the catalyst for transformative client partnerships, driving continuous innovation and delivering exceptional brand and business growth. His influential leadership is evident in his management of significant WPP accounts, including Coca-Cola, Colgate, Unilever, and Kimberly-Clark. Giri is also instrumental in driving Ogilvy's brand marketing strategy and leading its new business acquisition efforts in APAC. Ogilvy's three-year #1 new business ranking by Campaign Asia reflects Giri's effective leadership.

Beyond his professional achievements, Giri is an avid Formula 1 enthusiast and a trained chef in Indian cuisine. He is a polyglot, fluent in over seven Indian languages, including Tamil, one of Singapore's official languages, where he currently resides.

Huw rejoins the Effie jury from Edelman Hong Kong where he is Chief Strategy Officer for the APAC region.

I have been lucky enough to launch and work with brands big and small all over the world. I have spent the last decade or so living here in Hong Kong and working throughout the region. I love the Effies because they are proof that great creative work is the inevitable result of great thinking - creative brilliance IS creative effectiveness. I'm particularly interested in work that uses creativity to 'beat the system' and gets disproportionate coverage for its media spend.

Hwee Peng is the co-founder and Creative Partner at Blak Labs Singapore, an integrated Advertising agency. Prior to Blak Labs, she has worked in top agencies like Batey, TBWA, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, Grey, JWT.

With a strong digital and branding experience, she has lead her team to continue to strive for results for their clients in Singapore and the region.

Hwee Peng received nods from DNAD, Clio, Cannes, Ad Fest, Times APAC, Communication Arts, LIA Chinese Awards, New York Festivals, CCA and One Show. She has also been jury for SpikesAsia, Cannes, APAC Effie etc.

She believes in hard work, right attitude and passion. Hwee enjoys the industry as its filled with creative people and she is constantly learning from the young people. She believes in giving back and takes time to contribute back to the art schools.

Imperia Oktabrinda began her career as a Travel Manager in the Maldives before transitioning into the advertising industry in Indonesia as a Strategic Planner. She later showcased her entrepreneurial expertise by co-founding a boutique research firm with her colleagues, specializing in qualitative research, workshops, and shopper & branded environmental design research. This experience deepened her commercial acumen and ability to analyze and evaluate people, shaping her into a versatile, channel-agnostic brand, marketing, and communication strategist.

• Categories handled:
FMCG (including F&B/RTD, Beauty & Personal Care, Milk, etc.), Cigarettes, Pharmaceuticals, Automotive, Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions, Retail, Telco Providers, and Gadgets (Mobile Phones), among others.

• Brands handled (current & past experiences):
Wiprounza, Beiersdorf, Merck, Chevrolet, Renault, Shell, Perfetti Van Melle, Philip Morris, Garudafood, Suntory, Unilever (LUX, Close Up, Dove, etc.), P&G (Olay, Gillette, Rejoice), Softex Indonesia, Indofood, Nestlé, Frisian Flag, Kraft Mondelez, Mayora, TPS Food, Danone, Ford, Daihatsu, Tempo Scan, Carrefour, Metro Department Store, BNP Paribas, Sinar Mas Insurance, BCA, Telco Providers (Indosat, XL), and Huawei (Mobile Phones), among others.

With a background in digital marketing, experience design and marketing technology, Jason has been a leader in the digital industry for over 25+ years in Australia, NZ, SE Asia and Europe. As part of the Executive team at Ogilvy One, Jason has led the business through a period of turnaround transformation to be recognised as Digital Agency of the Year. His work has won many industry awards, including a Gold Lion at Cannes.

Specialties: Digital transformation, Digital marketing strategy, CX/UX, Marketing technology, Experience Design and Content Strategy.

Jason Tonelli is a seasoned media, technology, and advertising specialist with over 22 years of experience. Throughout his career, he has navigated various facets of the industry, from leading a digital marketing transformation agency to managing a trading desk and a creative business. This diverse background has equipped him with a unique set of skills and insights. As Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Australia, Jason is dedicated to fostering a culture where his team excels in media solutions, strategic initiatives, and investment. He has collaborated with clients across a wide range of sectors, including superannuation, financial services, automotive, government, retail, insurance, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and technology.

Jason's leadership has been recognized with prestigious accolades, including winning the Mumbrella Media Agency of the Year in 2024 and being a finalist in the B&T Media Agency of the Year in 2024 as well as the Ad News Media Agency of the Year 2024. He is also a Brené Brown Dare to Lead Certified Leader, demonstrating his commitment to empathetic and courageous leadership, underscored by his ranking #9 on the Media Week Media Agency Power List in 2023.

Jawahira Javed is the Creative Director at BBDO Pakistan for the Pepsi Portfolio. She has been part of the Pakistan advertising industry for the past 12 years and has had the honor of working on several local and international campaigns for the most prominent regional and global brands, including Nestle, Pepsi, Coca-Cola and recently the first digital bank of Pakistan - easypaisa. She’s enjoyed working for other regions like COCA-COLA MENA and PEPSI BANGLADESH.

I am a creative through and through, love storytelling, and ideas excite me as ice cream does to a kid. But most importantly, it is the journey that leads to the idea, be the insight or the strategic framework, that makes me fall in love with my profession over and over again.

Jeff Cheong is the CEO of DDB Group Singapore. He brings the best of marketing, technology, and consulting with Total Experience™ Consulting to the table for all his clients.

In the last 28 years, he has held leadership roles in TBWA, XM Asia, and a couple of dot-com start-ups.

Known as a fearless creative/business leader, he has delivered solutions for Unilever, Nokia, Heineken, Exxon, J&J, McDonald's, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, Citibank, Uniqlo, Singapore Airlines and Changi (and Jewel) Airport, The Army, Nets, AXS.

He is passionate about education and community. He has contributed as a board member and to various advisory councils like Temasek Poly Board of Directors, Temasek Poly School of Design & Nanyang Poly, *Scape, Founders’ Memorial, and Design Education Advisory (DEAC), Families for Life, Media Literacy Council, Youth Action Plan - Somerset Belt Masterplan, National Integration Council.

Jeff’s love for storytelling has taken him from a self-funded documentary ‘Singaporean of the Day’ to a full-feature documentary ‘Andre and his olive tree’ on Netflix and the silver screen.

Jess is GPJ ANZ's powerhouse Director of Strategy, responsible for the strategy service offering. As Head of Strategy APAC for Project Worldwide, she also works with our Singapore, Korea, Japan and Greater China teams to further establish, build and nurture our strategic capabilities across the region.

Jess and her team guide the identification of measurable objectives and success metrics at the outset of a project and translate client briefs into compelling creative briefs jam-packed with brand, industry, audience and cultural insights. Her favourite word is ‘why’ and Jess loves to ask this throughout the ideation and execution process to ensure our teams never lose sight of the brief and what success looks like. She’s currently leading the development of a proprietary tool called the Experience Impact Score to put this all into practice.

Jess champions the importance of strategy in all its forms. She’s the driving force behind new business initiatives and processes, all implemented in service of delivering groundbreaking ideas for our ambitious clients’ most important moment. She’s also found her voice and isn’t afraid to use it, publishing thought leadership content to inspire and drive transformation within the industry.

This passionate industry leader has also served as a juror on the WARC Awards for Effectiveness - Business to Business jury as well as Campaign’s Event Marketing Awards jury.

Prior to joining McCann Worldgroup in 2015, she spent over 7 years at Ogilvy & Mather based in New York responsible for the financial and commercial leadership of multiple global accounts.

She holds a BBA in accounting from Oglethorpe University, and an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, both in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ji is an avid yogi and a Pokémon trainer. She also enjoys visiting various places in Japan, and spending time with her husband and adopted adorable Japanese Yorkie.

Jo is the CEO of Publicis Communications Singapore, responsible for development and growth of the Groupe’s creative agencies in Singapore, responsible for ensuring that the agencies are evolving in line with clients’ needs. She is also Chief Growth Officer for Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia, leading the development of Power of One solutions for clients, driving new business development and the growth of Publicis Groupe’s profile in Southeast Asia.

Joseph Judd is the Head of Planning at TBWA\New Zealand, leading the strategic charge behind some of the country's most effective and creatively disruptive work. Under his leadership, TBWA\NZ was named Effective Agency of the Year at the Aotearoa Effies, won the Grand Effie for ANZ's We Do How campaign, and contributed to TBWA's recognition as the IPA Effectiveness Network of the Year.

At TBWA\NZ, Joseph works across a diverse portfolio of clients, including Anchor, ANZ, 2degrees, Tourism New Zealand, Kraft Heinz Wattie’s, Auckland Transport, and The Warehouse Group, among others.

Before joining TBWA, Joseph was Head of Planning at BBH China, where he shaped award-winning brand and business strategies for Google, Starbucks, Samsung, Heinz, Pernod Ricard, and MINI.

As an APAC Effie judge, he brings a deep passion for effectiveness and creativity, championing work that delivers both cultural and commercial impact.

Kaori joined BBDO Japan in 2016 as Head of Planning, leading the strategy for both international and domestic brands such as Visa, Mars, Phillip Morris, Kyocera, Kuraray, etc. She has received several awards including APAC Effie Gold and WARC Grand Prix, as well as Campaign Asia's Women to Watch award, which is given to individuals. In addition to her role as Head of Planning, she is also contributing to the company's culture by taking on the new role as Chief DE&I officer from 2022.

She also has a strong background in exploring consumer insights, as she launched and led the women and mothers’ insight project based on her experiences with two maternity leaves while at McCann Erickson, where she worked before joining BBDO.

Kat leads Ogilvy in Hong Kong and Advertising in Asia. She has held country leadership positions for Ogilvy & Mather since 2006, building capabilities and driving digital acceleration in markets like Vietnam and Indonesia. In Hong Kong, she leads the group’s integrated offering.

She is passionate about creativity and its ability to impact brands and businesses. Ogilvy is consistently the most internationally awarded creative agency in Hong Kong. Under her leadership, Ogilvy Indonesia won its first Cannes Lions, and doubled its value in four years. n Vietnam, she worked on campaigns that helped drive social change, including work for Kimberly-Clark that changed the way girls were portrayed; and an IPA-awarded campaign which ultimately influenced government legislation requiring the use of motorcycle helmets.

She has worked on a range of industries including CPG, retail, telco, travel and financial services for both local and international clients.

Kawal has been a lifelong planner. Prior to co-founding The Womb, he was head of strategy for Ogilvy India. Under his strategic leadership, The Womb helped create a blockbuster product for Saregama - Carvaan. The innovation and communications work on Carvaan won the 'world's most effective campaign' of the year award from WARC in 2019. He's India's first IPA gold winner for Cadbury, has been an IPA judge, and has done jury duties at all marquee effectiveness award platforms around the world. He's also been a frequent speaker at Cannes Lions. His agency has been ranked among the Top 2 independent agencies in Asia, and among the Top 3 in the world.

Kawal believes that the industry is overly focussed on short-termism, and tactics and activations are lording over big ideas. This is taking the industry more downstream than before, while the ambition should be the very opposite. Creativity has to matter to the boardroom and for that it has to grapple with business issues. At The Womb, he practices what he believes in. He doesn't pitch, so the clients he gets are senior folk who can take such calls. And entrepreneurs/C-suite clients are more concerned with growing top-line, bottomline, margins, and shareholder wealth. And a few who're keen on giving something back to the world over the long-term. Exactly the things that Kawal loves to take on.

When not working, Kawal loves to spend time with his pets...a Taylor semi-acoustic, and a Takamine.

Joined Hakuhodo in 2007.
As HAKUHODO’s one of first Creative Strategic Director, Koji excels in proposing effective integrated solution that drives client’s long term business growth based on strategic thinking. He has wide range of approaches that varies from building communication strategy to driving new business developments both for domestic and foreign clients from wide range of industries. From 2024, serve as the Group Manager of the Global Strategic Department within the Hakuhodo International Unit, advancing Hakuhodo's global operations. Speaker at ADFEST 2024/TIDAF2024 (Taipei International Digital Advertising Festival)/Smart Marketing Conference 2024(Mongolia). Jury Member of Cannes The Brief#4 2024.

Winner of the Inaugural issue of ‘Top 25 Leading Lights in Kindness & Leadership’ in SEA Region in 2020 by the UK based Women of the Future program, Mazuinhas also earned the distinction of being the First Malaysian business leader to feature in the prestigious 2018 FT HERoes Top 100 Women Leaders worldwide.

A three times winner of the prestigious CMO Asia’s CEO of the Year (2019/18/17) award, Mazuin Zin takes immense pride in helping transform Edelman Malaysia from a Pure-play PR Consulting company, to Malaysia's leading Communications Marketing & Creative business solutions firm with Strategy at its core.

A proven business transformation leader, Mazuin is passionate about creating a workplace culture that empowers young leaders hone their both managerial and entrepreneurial skills in the real world. As she believes that ‘Shaping Talent & Culture’ is not merely a departmental function, but a key responsibility of the CEO.

In a career spanning two decades, Mazuin has led business transformation assignments at some of the country's most respected MarCom Consulting firms like MullenLowe Group, Leo Burnett Group and Ogilvy.

Melinda, the CEO of IPG Mediabrands Greater China, skillfully oversees operations in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan by utilizing all agencies and functions within the company to provide cutting-edge media solutions. With more than two decades of experience, she is renowned for her ability to enhance operational efficiency and corporate success in various types of organizations, from large corporations to start-ups. Melinda is also a respected figure in the industry, participating in esteemed award panels and promoting diversity and inclusivity in leadership positions. She strongly believes in the transformative impact of marketing in driving positive change.

Michaela is currently the Managing Director and Head of Strategy at Media Arts Lab APAC. Based in Singapore, she leads the creative output across seven markets for Apple and only Apple. She moved to Asia four years ago after working on clients across the region and falling in love with the opportunity and challenges of growth markets. She grew up in advertising agencies in Australia such as DDB, Clemenger BBDO, The Royals and Droga5. After completing an exciting but useless degree in Electronic and Temporal Art at Sydney College of Art, she began her career as an Art Director before soon being lured into the world of human truths, cultural insights and strategic storytelling. She loves big brand stories, ambitious media moments, new technology, talking about cultural artefacts all day long, and believes nothing will ever make strategy batter than real-world, boots-on-the-ground, having-coffee-with-a-real-life-human insight hunting.

After starting out as an academic then management consultant, Milla found her true home in creativity, spending 5 years at Droga5 Sydney then New York, as the youngest winner of B&T’s 30 Under 30, working to earn Cannes Lions Indie Agency of the Year; Creativity Agency of the Year & Adweek Agency of the Decade.

She then headed up Strategy at adam&eveDDB London, where she led her team to win the illusive ‘Triple Crown of Effectiveness’ (APG, Effies & IPA Agency of the Year, simultaneously), as well as Cannes Lions Agency of the Year & EU Agency of the Decade.

After this, she did her time client side as Amazon’s Head of Brand & Creative Strategy - working on globally award-winning work for its Alexa, Prime and retail brands. Most recently, she’s found herself back home in Sydney as CSO at Droga5.

MyongAh has been in advertising industry for over 25 years, experiencing in branding, campaign planning and executions that include Brand Strategy, ATL, BTL, and digital marketing. She has been with Leo Burnett Korea (Publicis Group Korea) for 13+ years.

Nicky is a brand strategist with two decades of success in both multinational and independent agency environments across Asia, advising leading global brands on their marketing and communications strategies.

She was a co-owner of the China-based communications agency Red Bridge with offices in Shanghai and Beijing. Built from the ground-up over 12 years to a 120-people award-winning business, the agency was fully acquired by WE Worldwide in 2021, with Nicky appointed as CEO to continue leading its China operation.

Nicky embodies the qualities of a next-generation leader – she leads by example, encourages cross-discipline collaboration, and advocates client consultancy over client servicing. The agency follows a non-traditional approach, inverting the top-down ways of working in China and championing diversity and inclusion across gender, nationality, and regional representation.

Under her leadership, her teams led the successful launch of many brands in China, fostering long-lasting client partnerships across a diverse range of sectors. WE Red Bridge has been consistently recognized by global and regional awards including Cannes Lions, Sabre, Hashtag Asia and PRWeek Awards. Nicky herself was named a Woman to Watch in 2020, and Young Business Leader of the Year in 2019 by Campaign Asia.

A highly sought-after expert on China’s marketing landscape, Nicky is frequently invited to sit on regional award juries, including Effie APAC, PRWeek Asia Pacific, Sabre Awards Asia Pacific, The Drum Global PR Awards and Greater China Digital Media Awards.

Nizwani Shahar is a visionary leader in the advertising industry, known for her strategic acumen, bold creativity, and relentless pursuit of excellence. As CEO of Havas Malaysia, she has led the agency to become one of the hottest creative powerhouses in the country, driving transformative work that balances effectiveness with cultural impact.

A multiple-award winner and seasoned jury member, Nizwani brings a sharp, business-first lens to creativity, always advocating for ideas that don’t just win awards but move brands forward. With extensive experience across industries: tech, FMCG, finance, GLCs, automotive, retail, airlines, hospitality, and government; she is adept at identifying growth levers and translating them into compelling, results-driven marketing.

Beyond her role in shaping brands, Nizwani is deeply committed to shaping the industry itself. She serves as a mentor and advocate for women in leadership, working closely with UN Women and LeadWomen to champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As a mother, she ensures her daughter, Chloe, sees firsthand the impact of purposeful leadership and creativity in driving meaningful change.

As a returning jury member for the APAC Effies 2025, Nizwani is committed to recognizing and celebrating work that not only stands out but stands the test of time.

Park has been in the ad business for over 19 years, handling regional and global accounts; Beiersdorf, Cerebos, Twinings, PepsiCo, Pernord Riccard, Carlsberg, Heineken, Smirnoff, Honda (Automotive), Canon, Mercedes Benz, Shell, Netflix and Siam Commercial Bank etc. His work has been awarded across multiple categories in every major advertising show, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Spikes, The One Show, Clio and many more.

In 2010, he represented Thailand at the Cannes Young Lions. He’s also been a jury in Cannes, Spikes, One Asia, MAD Star, Effie Award, and Adfest.

He looks for the unconventional in every brief, searching for free-format ideas that can solve business issues and positively impact consumers' lives.

Pat Law brings over 20 years of experience in digital and social advertising, with a reputation for thoughtful, boundary-pushing creativity. As the founder of GOODSTUPH Singapore and Indonesia, she has built a multi-award-winning agency that consistently pushes boundaries and sets benchmarks for creative excellence. Renowned for her ability to fuse digital innovation with cultural relevance, Pat’s work has earned her recognition as one of Singapore’s Most Influential Creative Directors in 2017 and 2018—one of only two women to achieve this honor.

Pat’s specialties lie in digital craft, social storytelling, and mobile-first strategies that connect deeply with audiences. She has served on prominent juries, including Cannes Lions Cyber (2017) and the Creative Circle Awards (2024), where she chaired the Mobile, Digital/Social & Influence categories.

An active advocate for diversity and inclusion, Pat has sponsored Pink Dot Singapore seven times and is a member of McKinsey’s The Alliance, a global network of LGBTQ+ leaders. Beyond advertising, she has contributed to the arts as a board member of the Singapore International Film Festival and shares her expertise globally at events like Adobe Max 2020, sharing the stage with co-speakers Awkwafina and Tame Impala.

Pat began his career in 1978 at Fortune Advertising, then Singapore's largest local advertising agency. Working on blue-chip accounts like Mitsubishi cars, Ikea furniture, and DBS bank gave him the perfect foundation for what was to follow.

In 1981, he joined Ogilvy & Mather, where he won his first major award for Philips, becoming the first Singaporean to feature in the prestigious One Show. At Ogilvy, he worked on many blue-chipped accounts like Carrier, BMW, and Shell. He then moved to Y&R in 1987, where he spent a large part of his career creating many award-winning and memorable advertising campaigns.

In August 2009, Pat left Y&R after 22 years to form Goodfellas.

Pat was the first Singaporean to chair the local Creative Circle Awards in 1995. In 2005 he was awarded Champion of the Creative Circle by the advertising industry. In 2007 he was voted Singapore's Creative Director of the Year at the Singapore Advertising Hall of Fame Awards.

In 1998, he co-wrote the short film 'OOPS', which was featured in the Sundance Film Festival.

Pat has won awards in every major international competition, notably the One Show, D&AD, Clio, New York Festival, London International, Communication Arts and Cannes. Besides winning awards, he has also judged many, including the APAC Effies and Cannes Advertising Festival.

Pat is a member of Temasek Polytechnic's Board of Governors and has been the Chairman of its School of Design Advisory Committee since 1999. He's also the Vice Chairman of the Institute of Technical Education Design School Advisory Council.

Peach Natividad is an energetic communications strategist with nearly 20 years of experience shaping brands, deriving consumer insights, and driving digital experiences. She is recognized for her pragmatic approach to changing consumer behavior and consistently pushing creative boundaries to build both brands and businesses across the region. Currently Chief Strategy Officer at BBDO Guerrero in the Philippines, she leads strategic planning and innovation across campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences. Her prior achievements include her five-year tenure at Google as the Country Lead–Creative for the Philippines and Vietnam, where she championed marketing Google’s suite of products, notably YouTube, to top advertisers and agencies. Her blend of technology and creativity established enduring partnerships, fueling growth and brand success. Throughout her career, including roles at TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno, McCann Worldgroup, and Tribal DDB, Peach has steered teams to earn multiple Digital & Creative Agency of the Year accolades. She invests in continuous learning, completing three Mini MBA courses with Mark Ritson at Marketing Week (UK), further bolstering her strategic capabilities. Additionally, her commitment to innovation and excellence has led to invitations to jury panels for prominent award shows such as 4As AOY, Kidlat Awards, Google Creative All Stars, and the Boomerang Awards.

Penny Chow is an accomplished advertising professional with over two decades of experience. In 2017, she joined IPG Mediabrands Hong Kong to launch MBCS, a new agency brand that provides truly integrated marketing solutions, from data-driven strategy to creative ideation and amplification. Under her visionary leadership, the team has successfully partnered with renowned brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, and Disney, achieving remarkable accolades in the industry. In just a few years, MBCS won “The Best Newcomer” to “Integrated Agency of the Year,” while Penny was honored as the Business Leader and Game Changer at the APAC Women Leading Change Awards.

In 2022, Penny expanded her role to lead IPG Mediabrands Taiwan, with a mission to transform the well-established office into a dynamic and innovative marketing partner. She believes in valuing clients' businesses as if they were her own, which has attracted esteemed clients such as Dyson and American Express. This approach showcases the agency's emergence as a game changer in the competitive landscape. Penny is dedicated to nurturing talent and fostering a culture of innovation, ensuring her team excels in delivering outstanding results for clients while adapting to the ever-evolving advertising industry.

Phannika Vongsayan is the Group CEO of TBWA Thailand, with over 20 years of experience in communication design and strategy. She has consistently driven impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences and have garnered industry recognition. Phannika’s deep understanding of the advertising landscape has earned her a respected position as a jury member at both local and international awards, evaluating categories such as Film & Audio, Experience & Activation, Integrated Marketing Communication, Branded Entertainment, and Advertising Effectiveness. In addition, she serves as the host for the competition that identifies Thailand's top young creatives to participate in the prestigious Young Lotus workshop at AdFest. Her passion for creative innovation and consumer insights enables her to stay ahead of industry trends.

Phannika believes that strong creative impact, which drives business growth, stems from insightful strategies where exceptional work and smart strategy forge meaningful connections between brands and consumers.

She believes in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in connecting a brand's opportunities with consumers. The goal is clear: to disrupt traditional norms, challenge the status quo, and ultimately create a new model for success that can thrive in the unpredictable future ahead.

REY TIEMPO is Chief Creative Officer at Minotaur, a team of gaming, esports, tech, music, and fandom culture drivers and community builders for brands.

Rey is a highly-awarded Gaming Specialist, with multiple wins in Creative Gaming awards across the most prestigious industry shows. A prolific Gaming columnist, he is creator of “Game On”, the industry’s only column and portal on Gaming X Marketing. He is a sought-after thought leader, representing the Philippines and leading Gaming conversations on the most prestigious stages across Asia Pacific and beyond.

With more than twenty years’ experience in the world’s largest global and local advertising networks, Rey has been ranked as the number one Creative Director in the country and has consistently placed as one of the top creatives in Asia Pacific, with a body of work recognized in Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, London International Awards, Spikes Asia, ADFEST, MAD Stars, AWARD, Kidlat, and Boomerangs, among others.

He has served as President of the Creative Guild of the Philippines and has spearheaded the launch of CreativeFest NOW! - the country’s first ever, all online event that brought together some of the biggest names in advertising, and in creative disciplines around the world.

Rey recently launched The In-Game Ads Awards, the first and only awards of its kind in the advertising industry that celebrate entirely fictional ads for entirely fictional brands within video game worlds, judged by an esteemed panel of real-world, globally recognized creative leaders.

Roana is a distinguished strategist with over 15 years of experience in advancing brand growth and spearheading innovative strategies. She spent a decade at R/GA, developing strategies for world-class brands like Samsung, KFC, Unilever, and Prudential. Before R/GA, she honed her skills as a P&G Assistant Brand Manager.

Originally from the Philippines and now based in Singapore, Roana's expertise covers the APAC region. She manages a broad range of disciplines — brand, communications, digital, and product strategy — across industries such as Technology, Finance, and Entertainment.

Roana combines rigorous data analysis with intuitive insights to drive strategies that influence human behavior and inspire change. She advocates for brands to foster meaningful engagement that transcends traditional marketing.

Robin, Consulting Partner at MullenLowe Singapore, brings over 30 years of transformational expertise in branding, marketing, and creative strategy to its global roster of clients. Prior to this, he served as Regional CSO at TBWA, where he was instrumental in building, shaping, and leading the agency’s presence in Asia over a span of 24 years.

Recognized as one of the world’s leading financial sector strategists, Robin spearheaded global strategy for Standard Chartered for 18 years, pioneering its iconic "Here for Good" platform. He also led DBS for four years, rescuing its POSB franchise from closure, and shaped AIA’s "Real Life Company" positioning as well as FWD’s post-pandemic recovery strategy—further solidifying his reputation as a key advisor in the financial services space.

Robin's impressive portfolio of achievements also includes leading the global pitch win for Singapore Airlines and serving as its chief global strategist for over a decade, introducing landmark campaigns like the A380 launch and the SIA Singapore Grand Prix. He also recently crafted the Vision, Mission, and Values for CapitaLand’s Ascott hospitality business.

Over his career, Robin has shaped brand and marketing strategies for some of the world’s most iconic names, including Apple, BMW, Adidas, Corona, The Ritz-Carlton, and Sony’s consumer electronics and TV networks. His influence extends across industries, consistently driving transformative growth and innovation. And he has been a returning judge at the APAC Effies since they began.

Even as a seasoned veteran of the regional Ad world with a career spanning over 26 years, Rowena very much approaches everyday as day 1. It is with this zeal that Rowena has co-founded BLKJ and built the creative collective to reach great heights. Winning “Agency of The Year” in its debut season, BLKJ has since been known for consistently putting out effective, inspiring and disruptive work over its short history. Rowena’s modus operandi is simple: focus on the business problem, create work that is relevant, fresh and inspiring, smartly make it work across all the various objectives and stretch the budget to get maximum impact. This is possible because Rowena understands that the new kind of agency must enable its people to do whatever moves them. Rowena is unafraid and unintimidated by change and joined the Havas Group in February 2021 pushing this creative collective, BLKJ Havas to now becoming the creative beacon for the Asian region.

Rowena is the CEO and Co-Founder of BLKJ HAVAS. Her relentless spirit to stay ‘uncomfortable’ saw her start fresh by co-founding BLKJ in 2016. In 2021, at a time where most agencies were holding back, she and her co-founders moved forward with a partnership with Vivendi-owned Havas Group to operate as BLKJ Havas out of Singapore; as the region’s creative flagship working with regional and global brands.A force to be reckoned with as an industry change leader, Rowena is here to make a difference and champion positive change from within the industry and for the industry. She believes strongly that giving back to Singapore is even more important and believes that everyone should roll up their sleeves and do what they do best to put our red dot on the global map and make Singapore a better place for us all. Rowena is also a dedicated volunteer; helping out wherever she can in on-ground initiatives in the community. 🇸🇬

Rupert's career spans thirty years in some of London and more recently Australasia's pre-eminent agencies, working across all kinds of clients in all kinds of categories. Rupert has been at DDB for fourteen years, leading the group strategy team for the last seven years.

Rupert has always been a champion of effectiveness, with DDB Aotearoa winning three times under Rupert's leadership.

Now running the team at DDB Sydney, Rupert now oversees developing some of Australia's favourite campaigns along with its most effective campaigns. Drawing upon the enduring principles of Bernbach himself, the agency understands that deep, universal human truths unlock creativity that not only connects with people emotionally but also does so in ways that shape brand preferences and shape brand choice.

Rupert looks forward to judging the APAC Effies every year as fresh and inspiring ideas that have major impacts on client business always rise to the top.

With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, Ryan is one of the most awarded strategists in Australia - if not the world - having won over 40 effectiveness awards. He has also been named Campaign Asia's AUNZ Brand Planner of the Year, three years in a row (2021, 2022, 2023).

In 2024, he launched jnr. - an independent, effectiveness led, creative agency. In his previous role at Chief Strategy Officer of Ogilvy Sydney, he led the agency to the number 2 ranking worldwide on the WARC Effectiveness Index.

During his career, Ryan has worked on a broad range of clients and categories, and led the Strategy disciplines of Brand, Behavioural Science, Business, Comms, CRM, Data, Digital, Social and UX.

Simon is a seasoned planner with extensive experience managing both local and global projects at McCann Korea. Having lived, studied, and worked across the United States, China, Hong Kong, and Korea, he brings a multicultural perspective to his work while maintaining a deep connection to the Korean market.

As a key member of the planning division, Simon excels at providing actionable insights that align with both local South Korean nuances and global strategies. His ability to bridge the gap between Korean market demands and global ambitions makes him a critical asset to his clients and teams.

Throughout his career, Simon has successfully planned and executed campaigns for leading brands across industries, including automotive, electronics, FMCG, travel, entertainment, and finance. His portfolio features an impressive mix of international and domestic clients, such as Samsung Electronics, BMW/MINI, Hyundai Motors, Coca-Cola, Pizza Hut, Musicow, SC Johnson, Alibaba, Samsung Securities, Compose Coffee, and DHL.

With over 15 years of experience, Simon has held pivotal roles at Edelman and Alibaba before joining McCann Worldgroup. Today, he continues to deliver impactful strategies that drive success locally in South Korea and globally..

Sean has over 25 years of experience in the marketing communications industry working across Asia-Pacific covering China, SE-Asia, North and South Asia. Formerly based in Shanghai, his previous agency roles had him wearing the regional leadership hat for global brands like British American Tobacco, SC Johnson and Huawei. Sean has been around the proverbial block, starting with advertising, then CRM, and digital marketing, getting behind the counter for retail and shopper marketing, before coming back to brand communications in McCann Erickson Malaysia as it's CEO. Having a 360-degree experience has helped him understand how to build better value for clients. Sean brings an interesting set of hybrid skills to the fore, as he was from a creative background before stepping into the business management role. Over the course of his career, Sean has also helped client brands win numerous creative and effectiveness awards like Cannes, D&AD, One Show, Spikes and the Effies. An incidental entomologist, Sean has perfected the art of collecting bugs with his teeth, whilst travelling across Asia on his motorbike.

Hands-on and full-on. Shaun is the Co-owner & CEO of The Shout Group and the driving force behind the FCB SHOUT’s current standing as the #1 Malaysian agency. He joined FCB in 2015 following a highly successful nine years with TBWA Malaysia and before that, seven years with Bates Malaysia & Bates Singapore. Together with his partners, he bought out FCB’s Malaysian operations in 2017 before proceeding to rebrand the agency to FCB SHOUT and as part of the newly launched The Shout Group in 2022.

Under his leadership, FCB SHOUT has soared in both business and reputation, winning over 500 awards including a record haul of agency-of-the-year titles such as Marketing Magazine’s first 3-peat as Overall Agency of the Year in 2021, 2022 and 2023, Agency of the Year at the 2022 APAC APPIES and 2023 Malaysia APPIES, Dragons of Asia’s Agency of the Year in 2021 along with Best in Malaysia in 2021, 2022 & 2024 and Campaign Asia’s Malaysia Creative Agency of the Year in 2023. When added to his own personal accolades such as Marketing Magazine's Agency Head of the Year 2022, Runner-up as Campaign Asia’s Agency Head of the Year 2022, Southeast Asia Business Development Team of the Year 2021, 2022, Runner–up as Mumbrella Asia’s Agency Head of the Year 2019, APPIES’s Presenter of the Year 2021, and frequent judging stints at the Asia-Pacific EFFIEs, Malaysian EFFIEs, Dragons of Asia, Malaysian Media Awards, Malaysian Digital Awards, CreativePool, Shots Film Awards, The Globes and Spikes Asia… Shaun knows what it takes to win!

Known as a “planning head with a creative heart”, Shehan Samarasinha is a Director, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Triad, Colombo. Contributing to several milestones in the Sri Lankan Ad industry, Shehan became the 1st to be awarded “Global Strategic Planning Leader 2021 – Finalist”, “South Asia Strategic Brand Planner of the Year 2021 & 2020”, while contributing to Triad being named Sri Lanka’s 1st agency to be awarded “South Asia Independent Agency of the Year 2021”. Playing a dual role both in strategy and creative, Shehan’s unique perspective was called upon as he was selected as the only Sri Lankan representative at the APAC Chapter of the ANA/Cannes Lions Global CMO Growth Council in 2019.

In just two years Shehan has helped transform the agency as one of the most awarded in Sri Lanka with over 50 international awards hailing from Effie Awards, NewYorkFestivals, Spikes Asia, D&AD, AdFest, Cresta Awards, AD Stars, Indie Awards, Dragons of Asia and MAA Globes Worldwide.

As Chief Strategy Officer Shehan has spearheaded major client pitches out of which 80% have been won.

Shehan is an avid proponent of behavioural economics “owning your truth” and “acts over ads”, thinking that drives business value.

Shilpa is currently Chief Strategy Officer APAC at McCann Worldgroup. In a two-decade versatile career as a marketer & strategist, she has worked as part of global, regional and local teams in preeminent organisations like Unilever, WPP & IPG. Shilpa has amassed rich brand building experience in diverse categories- beauty & personal care, food & beverages, automotive, entertainment, financial services, telecom, retail, home care and more. She has shaped several leader and challenger brands like L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline, Lakme, Nivea, Sunsilk, Lincoln, Pantene, Lincoln, BMW, Coca Cola, Mondelez, Nestle etc. Armed with robust firsthand senior leadership stints in prominent markets like India, the UK, China, Russia and Singapore, Shilpa has relentlessly imbibed the cultural zeitgeist of the Orient and the Occident. As a true champion of effectiveness and creativity, Shilpa has led her strategic teams to compelling performances at Effie, has been on the jury of Effie Worldwide, Effie Russia, Effie APAC, Effie Singapore and has been awarded creativity awards including Cannes Lion. Additionally, Shilpa has served as Assistant Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales, handling his strategic portfolio on The Commonwealth, Faith and Ethnic Communities’ engagement in the UK. Shilpa has been featured on Campaign Asia's Women to Watch 2024 and is a Founding Board Member of IAA Singapore.

Jin Xia, (Shirley King), the founder of Atcomm Integrated Marketing Communications, started her career in journalism as an editor of a local newspaper before gradually shifting to a marketing career. Having been one of the first Chinese employees of McCann Advertising and Nike, Shirley developed a rich experience across both agency and client sides, providing her with a strong professional foundation on which to start her own marketing company. In 1999, Shirley, tapping into her knowledge of advertising, PR, and media, founded Atcomm, expanding the company over the last 25 years from a handful of people in China to a team of over 100 across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Initially established as a PR agency, the company has continued to evolve over time to become what is now a full-service integrated marketing communications company servicing clients across the APAC region. Atcomm specializes in creating 360-degree integrated marketing ecosystems for its clients with professionally customized strategy, creativity, communications, media, and IP resources. Atcomm is the designated marketing partner of many Fortune 500 and world-class brands both in China and the broader APAC region. Key clients include Haleon, Mars, McDonald's as well as many other well-known brands both in APAC and abroad. It has also won several authoritative awards globally across multiple years, such as the Gold Award at the ROI Festival, the Gold Award of TopDigital, and has been recognized several times as the Greater China Independent Agency of the Year at the Campaign AOY awards.

Sieg has over 25 years of experience in formulating business solutions using the power of creativity. He has taken on global, regional and local leadership roles accross different markets including posts in the Philippines, Mexico and Japan where he spent more than ten years prior to taking on his current Group CEO role in Ogilvy Indonesia. He believes that the real impact in business and brand building comes from the ability to fuel data, technology and creativity with powerful cultural and human truths.

Simone currently leads the dentsu group of agencies across creative, media and customer experience management (“CXM”); agency brands such as dentsu Creative, Carat, iProspect, dentsu X and Merkle across Greater Bay Area (“GBA”) covering Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong.

Simone herself has earned numerous recognitions over the course of her career. She has been named top 5 Women CEO Leading Change in Asia by Campaign Magazine, as well as named Agency Leader of Hong Kong by Marketing Magazine in 2022. And most recently Grand winner of Empowered Women Leader by Marketech APAC in 2023.

Prior this Greater Bay Area role, Simone led dentsu Hong Kong as group CEO, winning accolades such as Best Agency Culture and Best Place to Work in Greater China.

She joined dentsu through launched mcgarrybowen Greater China, winning an impressive number of accolades. Shanghai agency named Top 3 Creative Agencies and Top 10 Hottest Agencies in China, while Hong Kong was crowned as the Fast-Growing Agency as well as the Newcomer of The Year.

Simone has served as jury for Cannes, Spikes, Tangrams, and Global Best of the Best, Asia Pacific & Greater China Effie Awards, and YouTube Works.

Sony's 25-year career reflects her ability to support transformation across varied markets. At FCB India, she contributed as the Strategy Lead for well-known Indian brands like Tata Motors, Tata Corporate, WIPRO, and AMUL, alongside international brands like SC Johnson and Whirlpool. Transitioning to a client role as Head of Brand Marketing for Tata Indicom, she focused on agency collaboration and execution.

In Indonesia, as General Manager of FCB Indonesia, Sony worked on enhancing strategic integration for brands like SC Johnson and Mondelez, leading to award nominations in 2019. Joining Publicis Groupe in 2020, she embraced the "Power of One" model and stepped into a leadership role in 2021. During her time, the Groupe received over 85+ awards in 2024, including APAC Creative Agency of the Year at Smarties APAC and Indonesia's Creative and Media Agency of the Year at Campaign Asia Agency of the Year awards.

A Strategic Planner for close to 30 years, Sosuke joined beacon as Executive Planning Director in August 2014. After moving to Facebook in 2018, Sosuke returned to help with the launch of Publicis’ new unit Digitas in 2020.

He has worked in multiple countries, cultures and agencies including Japan, the United States, China and Singapore. His past clients include everything from cars, shoes, fashion, FMCG, electronics, travel, fast food and the finance sector at agencies such as W+K, Fallon, BBH and TBWA.

Supphasit is a marketing and advertising leader with 19 years of experience and a knack for spotting future trends. As Chief Strategy Officer at Ogilvy Thailand, he blends brand communications, media savvy, and data expertise to drive brand growth.

His strategic vision has propelled brands & businesses to navigate the evolving digital landscape by demystifying data and finding innovative solutions.

Beyond his strategic acumen, Supphasit is a passionate leader who thrives on collaboration and cultivates an inclusive environment where every voice is heard. He is a sought-after speaker and lecturer, sharing his expertise at industry events. Suphhasit believes in empathy and the power of teamwork to achieve common goals and drive success.

Taku is the APAC Integrated Strategy Partner at Dentsu Asia Pacific. He has taken a strong leadership and influence to drive new initiative to shape the future of clients’ business, agency and the society.

Taku has a wide experience of creative solution development with a strong strategic thinking, offering not only traditional creative executions, activation, but also brand management, data, technology, and content. He has a deep experience offering solutions for various markets in APAC.

Taku has been committing himself to provide innovative solutions for just one purpose, to drive positive changes.

Terence has two decades of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Originally a client-side marketer, he has led business and brand strategy on both client and agency sides. Through TBWA’s Disruption® philosophy, his team has helped organisations unlock unforeseen opportunities to Disrupt at both the local and regional level. Organisations such as the IPA, WARC, Effie and AMES have recognised such success over the years. Terence leads a team that includes data, social and integrated strategists. As part of the senior management team, he also contributes strategy for TBWA to further its growth and cement its position as The Disruption® Company. TBWA Hong Kong has been consistently recognised as one of Greater China's leading digital, creative and brand experience agencies.

Thamakorn Ruchakityanon (previously known as Kusuma) is a renowned female creative leader at SOUR Bangkok, the first independent agency in Thailand to successfully penetrate the women’s market. SOUR has been awarded Southeast Asia Boutique Agency of the Year for 7 consecutive years (2018–2024) and was named Independent Agency of the Year at ADFEST 2021. Under her leadership, SOUR has ranked among the Top 5 agencies in Thailand by The Work, Campaign Brief Asia (2021–2024).

Before joining SOUR, Thamakorn held key creative leadership roles at BBDO Bangkok and J. Walter Thompson (now VML). In 2018, she was selected to join BBDO’s Female Creative Leadership Program. With a career spanning over a decade, she has won more than 30 international and local awards.

As Executive Creative Director at SOUR Bangkok, Thamakorn continues to shape industry-defining work. Her campaigns resonate with both Thai consumers and global audiences, blending Asian insights with Thai humor. Notable projects include the ‘Make Yourself Comfortable’ campaign for Sabina Braless, which became a cultural phenomenon and recently won Cannes Lions 2024. She also pioneered Thailand’s most famous virtual influencer, ‘Katii’, who won the Thailand Influencer Awards 2022 and was featured on the covers of Vogue Thailand, L’Officiel Thailand, and Harper’s Bazaar, redefining business models in the metaverse era.

With her expertise, Thamakorn has served as a judge at prestigious international award shows, including Cannes Lions 2024, LIA 2023, Spikes Asia 2023, ADFEST 2024, Gerety Awards, Ciclope Festival, and One Asia.

Her passion and performance make her a driving force in elevating local campaigns to global recognition. Guided by her motto, “Work hard, explore harder,” she balances her time between creative leadership and immersing herself in new experiences, giving her a unique perspective on Gen Z and emerging trends.

Thien Thanh has more than 22 years of experience in leading creative campaigns that have helped bring stronger, more meaningful brands.

Her work in strategizing integrated projects have supported in the transformation and reputation building of organizations from a wide variety of industries and sectors.

Thien Thanh is a thorough market explorer with deep insights into consumer and stakeholder behavior. She is a big believer in authentic conversations and content, which when delivered in a creative and engaging way, will provoke and generate conversations across relevant touch-points and effect behavior change.

Her work in Edelman spans creative and integrated communications as well as issues and crisis management for clients in the FMCG, F&B, pharmaceutical, automotive, and transport industries, among others.

Prior to joining Edelman, Thien Thanh served as the MD of Publicis Vietnam, known for her strategic leadership on corporate and brand building for FMCG, financial, automotive and luxury brands.

Thien Thanh obtained an Executive Master degree from INSEAD.

With over 20 years in the digital business, Tuomas works in the intersection of technology, strategy, creative and business, with a focus on digital, brand & commercial strategy.

Tuomas is a Managing Director at Accenture Song, and leads Go-to-Market & Client Service for Southeast Asia. Prior to joining Accenture Song, Tuomas led R/GA's Asia-Pacific business, and consulted clients on digital transformation. Before that he led TBWA\'s digital advertising and marketing business across Asia.

Tuomas was featured twice by Campaign Asia as 40 under 40 to watch, and awarded as Asia Pacific Digital Network Agency Head of the Year. He is a regular industry speaker and awards jury member, having lectured at MBA programs and spoken at marketing events around the world. His awards jury experience includes Cannes Innovation Lions, Spikes Asia Innovation (Jury President), Asian Marketing Effectiveness awards, Tangrams, APAC Effies, the WARC Prize for Innovation.

He is also a startup advisor, mentor, and board member, and an investor in web3 and digital businesses.

Valerie's love for painting, since the age of five, has spawned a career of more than 20 years across brand-building and integrated creative solutions for major brands such as Zespri, Caltex, Hewlett-Packard, Procter & Gamble, Singapore Airlines, HSBC, Burger King, VISA, Singapore Tourism Board, Changi Airport, Central Provident Fund, Shell, GSK, Cycle & Carriage, Friesland Campina and many others.

Known as one of APAC’s top creatives, she joined McCann Worldgroup as Chief Creative Officer, Southeast Asia, in May 2023 and expanded her remit to cover Asia Pacific in August 2023.

Previously the Director of Creative Shop, SEA & Emerging Markets at Meta, Valerie is responsible for creative product across the region, as the network continues in its mission to be the irrefutable leader in the business of creativity. She also Chairs McCann Worldgroup’s APAC Creative Leadership Community.

Valerie has judged and been awarded at all major shows including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, New York Festival, Effies, Spikes Asia and ADFEST.

In her spare time, Valerie flexes her creative muscles crafting ceramics or churning her own homemade ice-cream!

Vinod Savio defies the traditional path into advertising. With a background in physics, maths, and electronics, as well as experience as a banker and farmer, he began his career in Bangalore, ventured into Mumbai, and ultimately made Singapore his home.

Today, as the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at DDB Group Singapore, Vinod is a beacon of innovation, guiding the agency with nearly two decades' worth of industry wisdom. His work with powerhouse brands like Google, McDonald's, Unilever, and Johnson & Johnson has not only earned him a plethora of awards such as Cannes Lions, One Show, D&AD, Effies, and Spikes Asia, but in 2023, it also earned him the title of one of Singapore's most awarded creative directors.

Vinod's unconventional background shapes his belief that emotions, not rationality, drive decision-making. He masterfully intertwines culture, data, and media to craft authentic and relatable brand stories. With a keen eye on emerging trends in social media, gaming, and artificial intelligence, Vinod consistently pushes creative boundaries.

Xea is a brand and comms planner with over 13 years of agency experience whose had the privilege of working on some of the most beloved global brands (with a particular focus on FMCG & QSR) as well as local niche ones across APAC.

He has had extensive experience devising strategies for award-winning work that spans from relaunching a heritage Nestlé brand, MILO, jolting its business performance from stagnation in the Philippines, to successfully captivating the Filipino youth with a series of content in the form of Coke Studio, right through to reinvigorating the Colgate brand leading to business growth amidst the pandemic in key Asian markets.

His integrated background, having worked in major Advertising, PR agencies, and Digital & Media teams, has led him to collaborate comfortably with diverse people from different disciplines to help shape impactful, forward-thinking work.

Yoshihiro is a highly experienced business, branding, and marketing consultant with over two decades of expertise in Japan and Singapore. He is an expert in connecting consumer insights across Asian markets with brand and business strategies for leading companies in various industries from regional and global perspectives.

His impressive track record includes hundreds of projects ranging from cultural trend research to new business development. He has been instrumental in providing consumer insights, business strategy, and brand strategy services to clients at the management level, establishing himself as a trusted advisor to leading companies.

His career began as a strategic planner at Hakuhodo Inc. During the 1st wave of the internet boom around 2000, he worked for an internet venture company and helped a Japanese telecom company to develop new internet services.

Yoshihiro holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago and a Master of Engineering (Marketing Science) from Waseda University. He is a regular lecturer at Singapore Management University, where he shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in marketing and branding, particularly with regard to Japanese companies.

Yuichi Toyoda joined Dentsu Inc. in 1994 after graduating from UC Berkeley and has since built a career at dentsu spanning over 30 years. He took on several executive roles, including CEO, at agency brands in India, Thailand, and China. He led Dentsu One Bangkok to win Campaign Asia Southeast Asia’s Integrated Agency of the Year Award. In 2022, he was appointed Managing Director (MD) of Dentsu Inc.'s global division and Executive Director of the Dentsu Group Inc.'s Solutions Office. In 2024, he was appointed Global Practice President – Business Transformation (BX) of Dentsu Group Inc., BX President of dentsu Japan and Executive Officer of Dentsu Inc., and promoted to Managing Executive Officer in 2025. He is currently responsible for expanding the BX knowledge and best practices accumulated in Japan across the world, contributing to build the foundation of dentsu's BX practice.

Yukio is one of the few creative directors capable of leading both global and digital projects at Dentsu Inc. Born in Japan and raised in Canada during his early years, pursuing an international career came naturally to him. While at Fallon London, he worked with clients such as Cadbury, FIFA, Orange Mobile, and Sony. At Dentsu Tokyo, he supported multinational clients including Disney, Toyota, UFC, and Moët Hennessy Diageo K.K., aiding their success in the Japanese market. He has won awards from Spikes, Adfest, The Webby Awards, the Dentsu Award, TCC, ACC, and more.

Yusuke's journey with Hakuhodo began in 2004 as a strategic planner. He has been responsible for brand strategy and communication strategy planning across various industries such as automobiles, telecommunications, food, and beverages.

From 2012 to 2019, he served as the regional strategic planning director for ASEAN, based in Thailand, where he led Marketing Digital Transformation for multiple companies. His responsibilities included developing strategies for digitizing customer touchpoints, DMP/CDP development, and utilizing data for marketing activities. Additionally, he launched the Hakuhodo Institute of life and living ASEAN to conduct research and gain a deep understanding of the lifestyles and desires of people living in ASEAN.

Upon returning to Japan in 2019, he assumed the role of Deputy General Manager and took on the responsibility of expanding Global Marketing Digital Transformation business development in SEA + China/Taiwan. In 2022, he relocated back to Thailand and now oversees the establishment of the H+ APAC regional network and drives the development and promotion of digital transformation business.

With over 25 years of transformative marketing experience spanning Unilever, HSBC, and currently as the Group Chief Marketing Officer at RHB Banking Group, Sani has left an indelible mark on the industry. From his humble beginnings at Unilever Malaysia to Thailand, he led branding teams, steering businesses to market leadership and earning numerous Business & Marketing awards.

At HSBC Bank Malaysia, he orchestrated structural changes which include launching the Islamic Bank franchise, expanding the affluent clientele, and spearheading digital channel commercialization. Now, as the Group Chief Marketing Officer at RHB, he breathe new life into the brand, resonating with younger, affluent segments, driving digital platform commercialization, and championing financial sustainability, supporting SME growth and community financial literacy.

Sani’s journey is defined by innovation, purpose, and impact which have garnered acclaim. He’s recognized as one of Asia Pacific’s Top 50 Most Influential and Purposeful Marketers by Campaign Asia, and have been honored as 'CMO of the Year' for consecutive years in Malaysia. Heralded as a 'Marketing Trailblazer for Financial Services by Marketing Magazine Asia,' he continues to shape the future of marketing with passion and purpose.

Marketing and business leader with 15+ years of experience across Asia Pacific in delivering strong top and bottom line results, and building strong teams

Diverse experience in health care and consumer-packaged goods sectors across regional and country (developing and developed) geographies, in marketing and commercial roles

Abraham is a Marketing & Brand professional with close to 30 years of varied experience at senior strategic levels across the varied domains of Brand & Business building, Business Communication, Business Innovation, PR/Media relations & Customer-Centric marketing from ideation to process engineering and a passion for MarTech.

He has worked in the past, as part of senior management teams at Ogilvy, Reliance Capital, DCB Bank, Future Generali Life & General and an international web solutions start-up. He currently leads the Marketing, Media Relations, Service Quality, Innovation and Value Added Services teams of India’s largest integrated travel services group - Thomas Cook India.

Abraham is a part-time writer/columnist/panellist/speaker who has featured in various business publications & Brand & Marketing forums and publications. He has served on the juries of the Asia Pacific Effies & India Effies multiple times - among many others.

Abraham has been instrumental in setting up and currently serves as pro bono CEO of the Fairfax India Charitable Foundation (FICF) that has since its registration in November 2016, embarked on a National Dialysis Initiative aimed at enhancing sustainable, free/affordable dialysis access in remote areas of the country. FICF has installed over 1200 free to use dialysis machines across 250 centres spread over 26 states and delivered over 1.5 million free dialysis sessions for underprivileged patients.

Alvin Neo is the Chief Customer and Marketing Officer at FairPrice Group, responsible for strategic marketing, customer, partnership, brand and communications. He is focused on driving FairPrice Group’s vision to make every day a little better; through building world class marketing programs, deepened brand love, elevated consumer experiences, and fostering customer-centricity and loyalty.

Alvin has over 20 years of local and international brand, business and marketing management experience. He was the Group Chief Marketing Officer at leading healthcare provider Parkway Pantai, heading its commercial function which included sales, marketing, and doctor/portfolio management. He was responsible for driving revenue and volume growth across multiple countries, and the development of the group’s Future of Healthcare Marketing practice.

Prior to Parkway Pantai, he served as Diabetes Care Franchise Head at Johnson & Johnson Medical Asia Pacific, and Senior Marketing Director for Global Emerging Markets for Johnson & Johnson Consumer. His career spans various business, marketing, and strategic development roles with Procter & Gamble, Gillette, and technology startup Netdecisions, and he was also a strategy consulting leader with The Boston Consulting Group.

Andrew currently leads marketing at TIME dotCom, a listed Malaysian telco with investments in fibre connectivity, cloud computing, data centres, cybersecurity and renewable energy spanning the globe.

He has more than 20 years’ experience across both the client and agency spectrum, handling brands as diverse as KFC, Uniqlo, BMW, and Disney both locally and regionally. Prior to Time, his experience includes marketing and strategy leadership roles at IBM, P&G, Interbrand, Isobar, DDB and IKEA.

He holds an MBA from the Melbourne Business School. Andrew was recognised as one of the Top 25 Innovators in Asia Pacific for 2020, according to the Innovator 25 Global Rankings.

AA marketer by training and passion, i have thought about brands both as a strategic planner and as a brand/business owner. I am deeply interested in consumer behavior, the shifts in their journeys to brands & beyond, in a post-digital world. My current role has enabled me to work on building digital first, consumer-centric brand ideas. My work straddles across areas like digital media, content, data & insights, measurement, CX, and all things commerce. On some days I love to talk about 'generative AI' and the seismic shifts that it's poised to bring about, across business, socio, cultural and economic fronts.

Arvind R P is the CMO at McDonald’s India (West & South), heading the overall strategy & marketing for the brand, to strengthen its leadership in the QSR space.

At McDonald’s India, Arvind has led the brand to market leadership, built a robust and aspirational brand through impactful advertising, menu innovations and digital leadership. A keen student of the realm of ‘marketing effectiveness’ as well as the relationships between culture and brands.

He has over 20 years of experience in Marketing and Sales across various geographies and categories such as Fashion retail (Levi Strauss), Consumer goods (Britannia) and Automobiles (TVS Motor Company) and Beauty-retail (Marico Kaya). His career also included an assignment for the SE Asian market based out of Jakarta.

Arvind is also a board member of the India Local Council of Modern Marketing Association (MMA), which strives to stimulate the growth of modern marketing practices and its associated technologies among the marketing community.

He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Statistics and an MBA in Marketing and has also completed various executive education programs from Ehrenberg Bass Institute, Australia and the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University across Advanced marketing, Digital & Data Analytics.p>

Ms Astin Lee, Senior Deputy Director (Media & Publicity), has 24 years of experience in customer service, corporate planning and public communications. She currently heads the marketing team at the Central Provident Fund Board (CPF Board), where the team plans and executes integrated publicity campaigns. The annual Retirement Planning Campaign is instrumental in encouraging Singaporeans to be adequately prepared for retirement. She also oversees the creative content production team where the conceptualisation and creation of rich, dynamic media content is crucial in supporting the Board's strategic communications efforts.

Prior to joining Communications and Engagement Group within CPF Board, Astin has more than 10 years of experience at the Customer Relations Group where she developed customer service strategies and initiatives so that CPF Board continued to transform its services to meet the increasing customer demands. She also ensured that the frontline officers were able to provide excellent service in the evolving service landscape.

Astin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Marketing) degree.

Bea is an award winning planner with more than fifteen years of digital experience across international markets. Her approach merges brand planning and consumer-cultural insights with full- funnel marketing and ecosystem development.

Digital Transformation Leadership: She is currently serving as Marketing Director for Impactful Brand Experience at Colgate Palmolive Philippines where she leads digital transformation, creative excellence and integrated media strategy. Prior to joining client side she was Chief Strategy Officer at Dentsu Philippines where she championed strategy and digital transformation across the network's creative and media agencies. She was concurrently General Manager at iProspect, the group's performance marketing arm. She previously held planning leadership positions with international remits at Edelman Digital Singapore, Wunderman Singapore and McCann Shanghai. Originally from Manila, she was charged with setting up the Strategy team for McCann/MRM Philippines.

Industry Awards & Judging: She has received industry recognition from award bodies including Campaign Asia (40 Under 40 SEA Account Person of the Year by Campaign Asia’s Agency of the Year Awards) and Mansmith Philippines (Young Market Master). She is an active industry speaker and member of the award circuit, having previously judged for New York Festival's Asian Marketing Effectiveness Awards, Tangrams Strategy & Effectiveness Awards and Warc Strategy Awards. Since 2023 she has served on the board of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers.

Education: Bea originally graduated from Ateneo de Manila University and has an MS in Strategy & Design Management from The New School, as well as a professional certificate in Digital Media Marketing from New York University. She regularly teaches marketing and brand strategy at prominent universities including Singapore Management University, Ateneo de Manila University, and University of Asia & the Pacific.

Bernie has a cool job.

He gets to taste and lead some of the most delicious and iconic brands as the Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo Asia Beverages.

Throughout his career, Bernie has been fortunate to lead and build some of the most iconic brands across the Consumer Goods and F&B Retail Industries.

A strong believer of talent and capability development, Bernie is an advocate for helping and empowering teams to find their best self.

Brendon is an experience designer and marketer who cares about strategy, brands, and campaigns which matter. He currently works at Oracle on the Go-to-Market team and helps customers on their digital transformation strategy.

Previous to working at Oracle, Brendon spent 10+ years at McCann Worldgroup in Singapore where he started the UX department as a consultancy and lead the multidisciplinary strategy team for both the McCann and MRM//McCann business across APAC.

Always interested in “Why” and “What Next”Brendon is especially interested in how new technology and innovations can help brands in a meaningful way. He writes about it, creates strategies around it, designs them, and connects people and teams to bring them to life.

Chew Wee is the Head of Business Marketing, Asia-Pacific at TikTok. She helps businesses grow using TikTok's proprietary technology & marketing solutions. She has managed brands across technology, banking, government & media industries, spanning Asia-Pacific & North America markets.

She brings with her almost 2 decades of experience in marketing, partnerships & advertising sales. She spent 6 years at Google in various global & regional roles where she started the government vertical, drove partnerships with eCommerce marketplaces, as well as engaged CxOs with thought leadership content & insights. Prior to that, she spent 3 years in US attracting foreign direct investments as well as grew Citibank’s consumer marketing business in Singapore.

She is passionate about building teams, helping businesses tap the power of digital technologies, and driving diversity & inclusion in the media industry.

She was recently named amongst Campaign Asia-Pacific Power list as one of the region’s 50 most influential marketers.

As a proud mother of a 4-year daughter, she aims to build a world where digital technology is safe, sparks joy, and enriches lives.

Danielle Jin is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Asia Pacific in Visa. Based in Singapore, she oversees Visa’s brand and marketing strategies across B2C, B2B, and client marketing across Asia Pacific. Danielle has been on the Campaign Asia-Pacific’s Marketing Power List since 2021.

Prior to leading Asia Pacific’s marketing team, Danielle was Head of Marketing for Greater China, where she successfully supported business growth in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan through a strong focus on data-driven marketing approaches. She also led Visa’s Asia Pacific Centre of Excellence for Cross-Border strategy and campaign development, and was responsible for strategy, creative and delivery across the region. She joined Visa in 2016.

Before Visa, Danielle was Vice President, Beverage Category for PepsiCo China. In this role, she led the entire beverage category growth strategy, as well as the marketing and innovation agenda. Before PepsiCo, she was Director of Marketing with Ghirardelli Chocolates in San Leandro, CA. Prior to that, she worked with McKinsey & Co. in Atlanta, GA. Danielle started her career with Unilever.

Danielle is a published writer with two books, numerous short stories, and essays, and is a guest lecturer on Strategy and Marketing topics. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing, from Fudan University, China and an MBA from Yale University, USA.

Dennis Perez, a champion of digital transformation, leads Marketing for Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing (B&W) Philippines. He orchestrates data-driven brand strategies and crafts compelling beauty experiences, leveraging deep expertise in content, social, beauty technology, media, data, and commerce.

Leading the beauty charge into the future, Dennis spearheads the adoption of new AI-powered beauty capabilities to deliver cutting-edge consumer experiences. He also leads the Marketing Transformation agenda for B&W Greater Asia, redefining Unilever's approach to beauty marketing across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea.

A licensed Chemical Engineer, Dennis brings a strong analytical foundation to his marketing pursuits. A film critic at heart, he infuses B&W campaigns with captivating narratives, prioritizing a social-first approach. When not strategizing, you'll find him on the tennis court, honing his skills and preparing his next winning shot at beauty marketing.

Dhawal Katkar, currently working as Sr. VP - Glenmark Consumer Products-India. He has two and half decade of experience in Consumer Goods, Media & Entertainment, OTC/Healthcare companies. He has worked with L’Oreal, Godrej, Heinz, Disney, Turner, Piramal in the past. Currently he heads the India Business for Glenmark Consumer Care and Generics.

Seasoned marketer with 20 years of marketing and more than a decade of product development and senior management experience.

CXO level roles for more than 8 years.
Chief Marketing Officer/Chief Customer Officer, across
1. Personal Care, Food and Financial services
2. 12 countries and living in 4 of them in the last decade.
3. Teams of more than 50 to 100+ marketing and product development professionals.
Chief Customer Officer at Income Insurance, from Mar’22 – current, and Chief Marketing Officer, Kraft Heinz, Asia, based on out of China from Dec 2019 to Mar’22.

Developed and launched more than 50+ products over the last decade across personal care (Vaseline Men face care, face wash and body lotions), food (Soy Sauces, Chili Sauces, Sardines, Canned Meat, Baby food) and insurance (life, personal accident, travel).

Led or influenced the development of more than 200+ marketing campaigns, spanning Indonesia, China, India, Singapore, Thailand, South Africa and other Asian markets.

Most business-impactful and awarded campaigns:
1. “Worst Face Scenario” for Vaseline Men, Thailand,
2. “Real Husbands Cook” for ABC Soy, Indonesia
3. Spice Insurance for ABC Chili, Indonesia
4. “Preserving the taste of Childhood” for fermented bean curd, Guanghe, China
5. “Trapped” for Income Travel Insurance, Singapore
6. “World’s Safest Athlete” for Income’s Fitness Insurance, Singapore

A mission-oriented Chief Marketing Officer with experience spanning over two decades in integrated marketing and advertising, showcasing expertise in branding, integrated marketing, media, social media, content, CRM, customer life-cycle management (CLM), partnerships, and O2O presence. She has led high-performance teams and demonstrated a knack for fostering innovation in a rapidly evolving business landscape. Her expertise lies in full stack marketing with a proven track record in data-backed business growth and customer-centric strategies. Prior to joining Boost Holdings (An Axiata Company), Diana was the CMO at Lazada Malaysia, her team secured the 2021 Marketing Excellence and Innovator of the Year awards. Earlier, she led four key divisions, mainly content, marketing, distribution, and sales as Country Manager at iflix, Malaysia and Brunei and co-founded CtrlShift, where she served as Regional Head of Publisher Solutions for 10 years, she saw the evolution in digital media, managing publisher business in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. Diana's journey began in renowned advertising agencies, including BBDO/Proximity and Saatchi & Saatchi, before venturing into digital media. Approachable and friendly, you can call her Diana, D, or Boo.

Faycal is a senior strategic brand and marketing leader, with over 25 years of experience. He has worked at National Australia Bank (NAB) for the past 16+ years, leading the global Group Brand function covering the areas of Brand, CSR and Sponsorship. In his role he is responsible for all visual design and governance, brand experience, strategy, brand research, brand measurement & insights, media planning, brand content and advertising, for the bank’s key brands.

He has held various roles at NAB including key strategic marketing, digital, advertising and communications roles, covering consumer to corporate & institutional audiences in the APAC region, as well as wealth management and markets products areas. Prior to NAB, Faycal spent time honing his skills in a number of marketing communications roles with Mercer, Colonial First State and Finsia. Before his move into the financial services industry, he held marketing and advertising roles in local government and telecommunications industries in Australia and The Netherlands.

He has also spent time on agency side, as owner and director of a boutique marketing strategy and communications agency, consulting to both corporate and not-for-profit clients.

Gino leads the strategic communications function at Ayala Corporation, one of the Philippines' most enduring and diversified conglomerates with a meaningful presence in real estate, banking, telecommunications, and renewable energy. Ayala also has a growing presence in healthcare, mobility, and logistics as well as investments in industrial technologies, education, and other ventures.

A brand and communications strategist by training, Gino brings 20+ years of hands-on strategy experience for brands at the local, regional and global levels. He also brings a uniquely well-rounded perspective, having been a strategist on both the client and agency side.

Gino's previous client-side roles include a stint as Vice President for Corporate Strategy at SM Supermalls, one of SEAsia’s largest mall operators. At SM, he looked after the growth strategy for the business, guided the development of new malls and expansion projects while overseeing marketing for the group’s Premier Malls.

On the agency side, Gino has led strategy teams at BBDO Guerrero Philippines, JWT Singapore and at McCann Worldgroup Philippines covering expertise in brand strategy, social media, eCommerce, digital media and data analytics.

Under his leadership, McCann Worldgroup Philippines was a consistent yearly Effies winner, for brands like Jollibee, Nestle’s Kit Kat and the Metro Manila Development Authority.

Gourab is a digital marketeer, currently leading Digital efforts for Citibank in South Asia. He has worked extensively across new business development, product marketing, brand management, and client experience. Working with colleagues across geographies and cultures really excites him.

Jaslin Goh had deep and broad digital, marketing and customer experience across various sectors such as banking/finance, hospitality and retail by holding senior management positions in both client, management and consulting positions across North Asia, Asia Pacific and Greater China. She is currently Director, Marketing Communications & Data. She was ex VP, Marketing of Foodpanda Asia and ex CMO PayMe by HSBC based in Hong Kong. Her background spans Marketing, User Design and Customer Experience, partnerships and commercial functions. She is also an active speaker at various marketing, digital and customer experience forums in Asia Pacific, Greater China region. She is also honoured to be one of the awardees for Women to Watch (Campaign Asia) in 2022 and Marketing Leadership Award from HKMA 2022.

Jennifer Lam joined Hang Lung Properties in 2024 as General Manager, Corporate Communications, overseeing corporate strategies regarding communications, community investment, and government affairs across mainland China and Hong Kong. Her strategic vision and leadership have been key to enhancing the company’s reputation and stakeholder engagement.

Ms. Lam is passionate about strategic branding and marketing communications with a strong foundation in data and science. Before Hang Lung, she worked at Hongkong Land, leading corporate communications across Asia and managing marketing for the group’s Central portfolio including the LANDMARK. At Melco Crown Entertainment, she managed marketing and launched the City of Dreams and The House of Dancing Water. Her career includes several senior roles at international integrated communications agencies.

Ms. Lam graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree (Honours) from the University of Hong Kong.

Jennifer is currently Associate Director, Marketing Insights and Performance at Destination NSW.

Jennifer has been championing effectiveness over the last 20 years, both agency side (BMF, RAPP, Leo Burnett) and client side planning data-driven campaigns in in Financial Services and Alcoholic Beverages. She currently heads up marketing insights and performance for Destination NSW, the lead government agency for the New South Wales tourism and major events sectors.

Jun started her career as a business consultant and her major filed was building business/marketing strategy for manufactures and retailers. Then joined Francfranc, a major home furnishing SPA company and played a prominant role as a brand manager and then contributed MOGU, interior brand launch in US as VP.

Since 2005, she joined McCANN and had been engaging in consultation planning on brand/communication strategy for both global and local clients for 16 years and lead the initiative studies of "Truth About Age","Truth About Gender in Japan", "Truth about Global Brands".

Joined FineToday newly founded company as a group company of Shiseido in 2021, and leading brand communications for all brans (hair care, skin care and body care category) as VP. She is also an active speaker at Advertising Week Asia, ad:tech Tokyo and other major marketing/communication lecture sessions.

June is the CEO of ScentOn, a leading scent marketing company based in Seoul, Korea. She is a business person, perfumer and marketer.

June found scent marketing fascinating with scent marketing techniques getting used more by companies worldwide to enforce a brand image, improve consumer's perception of product quality and drive sales. Scents can help create an experience associated with a brand.

Previously, she was a marketer at global FMCG/food companies such as CJ, Bullsone, Unilver, Reckitt Benckser and Bausch & Lomb, working on a number of new product launches and brand campaigns.

Karen Ng has been an accomplished marketing and branding professional for over 25 years. Her career has taken her through various advertising agencies and in-house positions at companies such as Huawei, TCL/ALCATEL, and CATALO. Karen has consistently achieved exceptional results in multiple markets across Asia.

Karen's creative talent has earned her numerous prestigious awards, both locally and internationally, including the Hong Kong 4As and MARKies, France's TOP/COM GRANDS PRIX, and China ROI Festival. Her ability to design compelling campaigns for diverse audiences sets her apart from others in her field. As the General Manager for Corporate Branding and Marketing at the Airport Authority Hong Kong, Karen leads strategic initiatives that extend beyond local borders. She is responsible for spearheading campaigns both locally and in key overseas markets, positioning Hong Kong International Airport as a significant regional hub.

Karen's passion for branding and marketing communications inspires her to create impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences worldwide.

Kavita Chaturvedi, is currently the Chief Operating Officer of ITC’s Snack Food Business. ITC is one of India’s foremost multi-business enterprise with interests in consumer products, hotels, paper, agri-business and IT. ITC Foods is the largest packaged food company in India, with strong play in staples, snacks, biscuits, noodles, spices, luxury chocolates etc.

Kavita has over two decades of experience in Consumer product goods, comprising creation, development and nurturance of some of India's foremost Food brands such as Aashirvaad, Sunfeast Yippee! Noodles, Bingo! Snacks, Fabelle Luxury chocolates, ITC Master Chef, Kitchens of India. In addition to her corporate role, she serves a Director on the Board of Technico Pty Limited. She also acts as a Mentor to Sprout Life Foods which owns and markets Yoga Bar. Kavita is an active member of The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Marketing Committee. Last but not least, as a valued alumnus of Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA) she is part of the institute's Academic Advisory Board, contributing to the development of future leaders.

Kavita’s significant contributions to the organization and industry have earned her numerous prestigious awards. She has been conferred with ‘India’s Most Influential Marketing Leaders’ by BW Business World for the last four consecutive years. Likewise, she has been listed in ‘IMPACT 50 Most Influential Women’ for the previous two years. She also received the ‘DMAI Marketer of the Year Award’ and many more.

A certified Scuba Diver, Kavita likes to add dives to her "log book" during her travels.

Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive for the Marketing Group at Singapore Tourism Board (STB) since June 2023, oversees global destination branding and marketing efforts. With a career spanning two decades at STB, Lim has held diverse roles including Executive Director of Marketing Planning and leading the Travel Agents & Tourist Guides team. He spearheaded initiatives supporting the tourism industry during COVID-19, including innovative tour experiences and workforce development programmes.

Kenneth’s international experience includes heading STB offices in India and managing Southeast Asia and Oceania operations. He played a key role in developing Singapore's cultural precincts and Integrated Resorts. Prior to STB, Kenneth worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Singapore Airlines. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Building & Estate Management from the National University of Singapore and an MBA from MIT Sloan Fellows programme.

KokHwee Ng is the Global Marketing General Manger of Zespri, world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit, present in more than 50 markets. KokHwee oversees the development of Zespri’s brand and marketing strategy, and implementation across the globe. She is focused on delivering Zespri’s purpose of helping people, communities and environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruits, through marketing excellence and brand thought leadership that will put the high quality and nutritious kiwifruit onto more consumers’ plates.

Leader in International Brand innovation, brand marketing and digital transformation in business.

25 years of experience in the international QSR industry leading various Marketing Disciplines.

Vast expertise entails Brand Communication and Creative, Marcomm Tech, Digital Innovation, E-commerce, Digital Aggregator, CRM, Product innovation ,Sales Innovation and Customer-centricity.

Placing the utmost importance on brand communication, creativity and willingness to explore new opportunities presented by emerging technology and digital information, with clear vision and strategy to strengthen Domino's brand presence in Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia.

Passionate in leading the younger workforce with time spent to larger younger audiences and universities and forums.

Luca Destefanis is VP of Marketing at Kyndryl, leading global Campaigns and Digital. A senior marketing executive with strong business background, rooted in 25 years of international experience across Asia, Europe and US, Luca transforms organizations, develops talents, and simplifies complexity to create purpose-driven brands and drive business impact.

Known for continuously challenge the status quo, Luca has built the Customer Experience Management offering in IBM EMEA; worked in partnership with Zayed University in Dubai to launch Smartsquare, an innovation center with skills at the intersection of design, consulting and technology; advised more than 20 clients on customer and employee engagement; transformed marketing organizations by adopting new operating models; built the IBM Services brand in APAC. In Kyndryl, Luca is now focused on nurturing an amazing pool of talents, aligning central and country teams on a mission to drive reputation, relationship and revenue.

In addition to his role in Kyndryl, Luca is an active Advisory Board member (Joye.ai, ViaRTl). Passionate about exploring trends in contemporary art and everything wellness, Luca lived and worked in New York, Milano and Shanghai before moving to Singapore, where he currently resides with his family.

Lucas Levy is a results-driven business leader with 20+ years of experience in global brand management, innovation, and P&L leadership across Latin America, the U.S., and Southeast Asia.

Based in Singapore, he recently joined Mondelez to lead Oreo, Cadbury, Ritz, Biskuat/Tiger, and Halls across Southeast Asia. Previously, he spent 18 years at Unilever, driving growth for iconic brands like Axe, Dove, Dove Men, Rexona/Degree, and Lux.

Yoly is Globe’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer and joined Globe Telecom in 2009. She is a Corporate Communications and Sustainability executive with over 35 years of solid experience in Sustainability and Integrated Marketing Communications, with specialization in Strategic Communications for Corporate, Brand, and Crisis Communications.

Ms. Crisanto is currently a Board Member of AdSpark, Inc., the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) and Go Learn. She currently serves as Board of Adviser to the Public Relations Society of the Philippines.

She is a multi-awarded professional and executive recognized by both local and international institutions in her fields of expertise, specifically, communications, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Ms. Crisanto recently completed the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) LEAP Program in ESADE Business School in Madrid, Spain and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut USA. She earned her Master's in Business Administration degree from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business and Bachelor of Arts major in Communication Arts from the University of Santo Tomas.

Senior Executive at Reckitt, Matt is the CMO for the ASEAN and part of Regional Leadership Team.

Commercially driven & purposeful, Matt is passionate about building incredible brands, driving the P&L & forging an inspiring organisational culture where “doing well & doing good” intertwine, sparking outperformance – consistently.

Matt has 20 years of experience in FMCG in a wide range of marketing functions, from country activation to regional and global brand & innovation leadership. Matt has a true global vintage point as he brings insights from various the various regions he has worked with/from: from EMEA, USA to LATAM, ANZ, India, China, Japan & now ASEAN.

Matt is based in Singapore with his wife Natasha & their two boys, Jasper & Tobias.

May Ling is an experienced marketer with over ten years at the executive level and a track record of success in developing branding and marketing strategies, digital transformation, change management, and innovative firsts across multiple markets; her background spans FMCG, telecommunications, and Quick Service Retail.

Her expertise is in pioneering new digital innovations in a developing market while directing cross-functional teams to develop award-winning brand and marketing communications campaigns, number-one digital products, and the first digital telco payment.

May Ling has accumulated numerous accolades throughout her career, having been recognised as CMO of the Year 2023 & 2022 (Best Telco Marketer), 2021 (Best Marketer in Retail & Promotions Marketing)

I am an international marketing leader with a strong record of successfully leading marketing initiatives across a variety of industries and sectors, including both private and public. My expertise lies in designing and implementing strategic marketing plans that drive growth for the business and increase brand visibility.

Michelle joined Aesop as Head of Marketing, Asia in January 2017. Based in Hong Kong, her role extends across all facets of marketing from regional brand strategy, customer management and experience, brand and customer marketing to publicity, partnerships, channel mix and insights across nine markets - Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines. She leads, develops and advocates for the Aesop brand for Asia based on the regional environment, opportunities and goals. As the voice for Asia marketing, she contributes to the global marketing strategy and its translation and implementation into the region. She is a key member of the Asia leadership and management team and works closely with her peers to deliver the regional ambition for Aesop.

Michelle has been a fan and user of Aesop for over twenty years and always admired the brand and culture of Aesop – where simplicity, integrity and authenticity is at the heart of what the company stands for. A brand that does not prey on insecurities, but instead embrace sensory and nourishment that nurtures the skin and the mind.

Key projects include the Mainland China entry, activating a brand sensory encounter pre-store opening in Shanghai, large-scale skincare, body and scent activations in Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei & Hong Kong, to unprecedented Aesop Queer and Women’s libraries activated in Taipei, Taichung, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

Born in Malaysia, Michelle graduated from her Marketing degree from Monash University and prior to joining Aesop she worked for 3.5 years at the Hong Kong Tourism Board to lead the brand marketing to promote Hong Kong as destination for travellers globally and spent more than 15 years in the advertising industry – with 5 years based in Shanghai prior to moving to Hong Kong. She is passionate about food, design and travel.

Mohamed Elsharkawy (Sharky) is a visionary marketing leader renowned for blending global brand strategy with cultural insights to create everyday impact. As Global Brand Vice President for CLEAR and Head of Marketing for B&W China, he bridges global vision with local execution, driving growth through campaigns that resonate deeply across diverse markets. Rooted in Consumer Market Insights (CMI), Sharky transforms data into compelling narratives, ensuring brands like CLEAR lead with cultural relevance and innovation.

A cultural strategist at heart, he champions hyper-localized initiatives while safeguarding global brand integrity. His passion lies in decoding how brands embed themselves into different cultures, building equity through distinctive assets—from iconic visuals to borderless campaigns. By merging analytical rigor with creative storytelling, Sharky crafts strategies that are both aspirational and accessible, turning consumer behaviours into opportunities for meaningful engagement.

Driven by a purpose to have an everyday impact on people’s lives, Sharky believes brands thrive when they mirror community values and elevate human connections. His leadership in China exemplifies this ethos, balancing market-specific innovations with cohesive storytelling to foster loyalty and competitive distinction.

Neil Trinidad is the Chief Marketing Officer of GCash, the Philippines's #1 Finance App and Digital Cashless Ecosystem.

Since joining GCash, Neil has led the marketing team to new heights, driving award-winning, purpose-led campaigns that resonate with millions of Filipinos. Under his leadership, GCash has earned local and international accolades, including Gold at the PR Awards Asia-Pacific for GCash Stories, Silver at the Marketing Excellence Awards for Sowing Sustainability with GForest, and top honors at the YouTube Works Awards PH for GCash Spotlight. These achievements underscore Neil’s unique ability to blend creativity with strategic impact, turning innovative ideas into campaigns that captivate and inspire.

With over 20 years of experience in the FMCG, tech, e-commerce, and fintech industries, Neil’s visionary leadership is consistently recognized. In 2021, he was named Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards' Chief Marketing Officer of the Year, and in 2023 and 2024, he was recognized in Campaign Asia-Pacific's CMO Power List, a testament to his professional capabilities and industry recognition.

Before GCash, Neil was Chief Marketing Officer at Lazada Philippines, shaping one of the country’s leading e-commerce platforms. He also held key roles at Google Philippines as an industry partner for telco, travel, and QSR clients. He also had local, regional, and global marketing positions at Unilever.

Neil's entrepreneurial spirit is a testament to his drive and initiative. He is the Co-Founder of The Feel Good Food Group, an e-commerce healthy food delivery business with four brands: Ketos of Manila, Eat's Life Manila, The Sugar-Free Bakery, and Get Well Soup.

With over a decade of Marketing and brand management experience in FMCGs and Tech industries, including roles at Unilever, Mars and Sea group, Panomkorn is currently leading the Marketing team for Grab Thailand, overseeing initiatives across Mobility, Deliveries, FinTech, and Brand.

Panomkorn spearheaded award-winning campaigns recognized at both local and international levels, such as APAC YouTubeWorks and APAC Effies. He is strongly passionate about merging creativity with strategy, and thrives on crafting compelling narratives that resonate with audiences and drive tangible business impact in today's dynamic marketing landscape.

With over a decade of Marketing and brand management experience in FMCGs and Tech industries, including roles at Unilever, Mars and Sea group, Panomkorn is currently leading the Marketing team for Grab Thailand, overseeing initiatives across Mobility, Deliveries, FinTech, and Brand.

Panomkorn spearheaded award-winning campaigns recognized at both local and international levels, such as APAC YouTubeWorks and APAC Effies. He is strongly passionate about merging creativity with strategy, and thrives on crafting compelling narratives that resonate with audiences and drive tangible business impact in today's dynamic marketing landscape.

Pepe Torres is the Chief Marketing Officer of Maya, the Philippines #1 Fintech Ecosystem with the #1 Digital Bank and the #1 Omni-Channel Payments Processor. He's previously had international marketing experience in Procter & Gamble, Airbnb, and BDO.

International Strategic FMCG & Healthcare Marketing & Sales professional with 23 years of proven track record of growing businesses exponentially, turning around tough businesses.

Build businesses for sustainable growth, MOAT defined by years of ‘sequential growth’ post the stint.

High Learning & Emotional agility, Managed Marketing across multiple countries & business units straddling Health, Hygiene & Nutrition businesses while developing OUTSTANDING, High Performing Talents.

Building Scale for Reckitt Nutrition in the Top 3 Nutrition Market in the World - through a unique model which is Powered by Equity, strengthened through Expert Marketing & Amplified executional excellence.

Growing 4X+ vs Category to gain share across segments by driving Thought Leadership.Building business through 4 P’s: Purpose, Process & People to drive long term ‘outPerformance’. LinkedIn Best Place to Work in Indonesia - #1 in FMCG & #6 across industries. HR Asia Best Place to work for 2023

Ranjivjit Singh, is a Business Leader with over 30+ years of expertise in building stellar businesses and brands. His fabric of experience spans from sales, marketing, go-to-markets, business operations, business development to consulting across various business arms like technology and consumer.

Having joined the Hero MotoCorp family at the helm of Marketing as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) in July’21, Ranjivjit was quickly elevated to handle the larger pie of Sales & Marketing, as the newly appointed Chief Business Officer (CBO) in June’23.

In his 20 years of association with top multinational organizations at CXO level, Ranjivjit has left his footprint across brands like Levi’s, Ericsson, Microsoft, HP and Samsung. His grooming into acceleration started early in life, with his first role at Unilever. Prior to joining Hero MotoCorp, Ranjivjit held the positon of Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung, where in his 6 years, he was credited with building a $10 billion company and one of India’s Most Trusted Brands.

An MBA from Mumbai University, with specialization in Marketing, Ranjivjit is passionate about mentoring. He capitalized on this passion to nurture talent through an exciting stint as mentor and consultant to global digital entrepreneurs during the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020-21. Growth and Evolution has always been close to Ranjivjit’s heart and he continues to demonstrate this through his career choices.

Regina is currently the Head of Marketing for Visa in Singapore and Brunei. In the past 20 years, she has worked across different markets in AP to build brands and drive marketing efforts anchored in deep consumer understanding, and her experience spanned across different industries, such as financial services, telco and FMCG.

With 22 years of strategic planning experience in Lowe, Saatchi & Saatchi and Wunderman Thompson, Retna has played a major role in building local and global brands in Indonesia.

After a long stint in advertising, Retna decided it was time to embark on a greater role as she was offered to join InJourney, a state-owned holding company for Tourism. InJourney was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo in 2022 to lead tourism ecosystem in Indonesia and accelerate its growth after the pandemic. Some of InJourney’s projects in building destinations are MotoGP and World Superbike in Mandalika Lombok. Just recently in February 2023, InJourney held the first F1 Powerboat Championship in Lake Toba, Indonesia.

Retna is now juggling her role as a mother of three who are her source of strength and inspiration, and as the Marketing Group Head at InJourney, continuing her passion in building brands, now channelled towards one of the nation’s most important assets: tourism.

Roberta Camargo is the Head of Marketing & Communications at DHL Express Australia, bringing over 20 years of experience in the marketing and communications field. With more than 10 years at DHL, Roberta has excelled in various marketing roles, contributing to the company’s growth and success in both the Australian and global markets.

Before her tenure at DHL, Roberta honed her expertise at some of the world’s leading brands, including global supermarket chain Carrefour, film production studio New Line Cinema, and Australia’s renowned Rockpool Dining Group. Her diverse background spans both operational and strategic marketing, making her a versatile leader in the field.

At DHL, Roberta has played a key role in high-profile international and local partnerships, including Formula 1™, Rugby World Cup, HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, the Volvo Ocean Race, Surf Life Saving Australia, Manchester United, AEG, and Australian Fashion Week. These partnerships showcase her ability to drive impactful marketing strategies at both regional and global scales.

Roshni is a force of nature, never failing to bring vibrant energy, unstoppable passion, and an eye for excellence to everything she touches. Roshni wears multiple hats as JAPAC Marketing Director, Oracle; Founder of Pinch of Masala, creative consultancy; Group of 100, DEI Subcommittee Member and P&F President for St Augustine’s College. Roshni has a focus on workforce talent, emerging technologies and sustainability.

Roshni is a seasoned leader, a maestro of strategy and creativity, and has been adorned with multiple strategic awards for driving explosive business and brand growth.

Roshni also cultivates a powerful network of influential leaders to drive strategic partnerships and collaborations. Leveraging her professional experience in US, India, China and Australia to craft and execute cutting-edge marketing, partnership, innovation, and thought leadership strategies that incorporate cultural subtleties to drive global commercial success.

Roshni’s drive is motivated by her desire to have a positive impact and material change to the businesses she works with and the people those businesses touch. Her collaborative leadership style and entrepreneurial spirit, weaves a tapestry of influence, fostering robust relationships across diverse executive teams in complex organizations. A beacon of inspiration, leading by example, Roshni champions and mentors teams to new heights and rides the wave in fast-paced environments

Samantha Burgess-Allen is a communications leaders with more than 20 years international experience working in Asia, the Middle East and London. She has run regional communications for a range of organisations and brands including Coca-Cola, DHL, Philips, Allied Domecq, Banyan Tree and IHG Hotels & Resorts.

She has strong experience working collaboratively with teams across a range of communication disciplines including advertising, activation, Public Relations, digital and media planning.

Sam has been working at IHG Hotels & Resorts for 10 years and is currently Head of Corporate Affairs for East Asia & Pacific.

Sascha Scholz is an experienced leader in the Automobile Industry. Being with the Volkswagen Group since 2008, he covered all major marketing disciplines in his career including brand and communication strategy, advertising, digital and social marketing and experiential formats. Moreover, Sascha was responsible for the global development and implementation of the new retail experience concept and international dealer qualification at AUDI AG. His work includes projects like the Audi test drive cube, the Audi e-tron meteorite and the #untaggable global launch campaign of the Audi Q2. He won numerous prestigious awards on these projects.

Since 2021, he served as Head of Marketing and Public Relations for SAIC Audi in Shanghai and was responsible for all ATL, BTL and PR activities of the newly started, highly innovative Joint Venture between SAIC and Audi. In 2023, he joined the Volkswagen brand at SAIC Volkswagen as Senior Director Marketing and Customer Operation and oversees now all marketing and digital activities of the Volkswagen brand.

Shubhranshu has global brand and category building experience on some of the most admired brands in the world. He has built a celebrated career spanning more than two decades having held leadership positions in global corporations such as Unilever, Visa, Diageo, Star 21st Century FOX, and Royal Enfield. He has been instrumental in encouraging path-breaking work, creating successful IPs, and inspiring large teams to go beyond. Shubhranshu has international and wide-ranging exposure to brand management, demand creation, customer experience management across diverse categories. Shubhranshu has received over 40 Indian and International awards for his work.

He was a Head of Jury for the APAC Effies 2021, 2023 and also served on the jury for the Global Iridium Effies 2021. He is a prolific writer and a columnist for several publications, particularly on brand design, consumer sociology, technology, and trends. Needless to say, he is as excited about building brands today as he was when he first stepped out of business school.

Momentum Builder | Brand Marketer | Work That Matters and Wins

Over 20 years of driving brand evolution and measurable business impact has shaped some of the most iconic marketing campaigns and industry-defining strategies across global brands such as Tata Motors, Royal Enfield, Visa, P&G, Unilever, and Cadbury.

Leadership in brand storytelling, category creation, and strategic repositioning has led to high-stakes transformations, seamlessly bridging B2B2C ecosystems and managing multi-million-dollar marketing portfolios. Award-winning and culturally defining campaigns such as Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad, Whisper’s #TouchThePickle, and HP Lubricants’ #RoadsThatHonk have set new benchmarks, driving both behavioral change and commercial success.

My focus has always been on turning insights into action, ensuring that every campaign moves the needle—whether through market share gains, category leadership, or long-term consumer influence.

General Manager, Marketing at Tata Motors, expertise lies in digital-first brand ecosystems, data-driven marketing, performance-led storytelling, and integrated brand ecosystems that create lasting business impact.

As a jury member for the Effie Awards, the perspective is results-driven, ensuring that the work recognized is not just creatively compelling but strategically sound and commercially effective.

Great marketing is about impact beyond impressions—driving growth, shaping industries, and proving that effectiveness is the true measure of success.

I am the Global Head of Media Operations for Haleon (previously known as GSK Consumer Healthcare). In this role, my responsibilities revolve around driving adoption and scaling our global priorities and programs into the Business Units (Markets). This includes everything from driving media effectiveness solutions and accelerating test/learn/scale opportunities to working to manage the commercials with our key partners. Prior to this, I was APAC Head of Media, where I was active in a variety of areas including driving more advanced media techniques within the AdTech, data, and audience planning space, landing our agency model throughout the system, deploying key media technology platforms globally, driving better outcomes by forcing an effectiveness conversation and providing an overall media center of excellence with my talented team of media professionals.

Previous to GSK, I held multiple roles at McDonald’s – as its Global Media Lead based in Singapore, Global Engagement Team Lead for the London and Singapore teams and Digital Media Lead at McDonald’s Singapore CoE.

Before that, I worked at OMD Singapore, managing McDonald’s regional media business. I led the business to considerable digital media change including a more than 300% increase in digital media investment, rollout and institutionalization of data-backed media practices, a focus on the leveraging modelling to more closely link media to the McDonald’s business as well as partnerships with key media companies.

My time before Singapore was spent at MindShare, UM & Ogilvy in London and New York, where I both started my career and where I am from originally.

Growing up as the nerdy daughter of an obsessive history buff, Sulin dreamed of traveling the world as a journalist — but fate intervened, and she ended up in advertising instead. She went on to lead strategy teams at Naga DDB and BBDO.

As Head of Marketing at Digi (2009-2013), Maxis (2014-2017), and now Grab, Sulin has vocally advocated for creativity as the most underrated tool in business. Either Maxis or Grab have been named Malaysia's Effie Brand of the Year 8 times in the last 9 years. In 2024, Grab's in-house team Grab Creative Studio won its first 3 Golds at APAC Effies, and was also named Malaysia Effie Agency of the Year for the first time.

In between client gigs, she's also taken time off as a Kiva Fellow, and to publish ThinkThings, easy DIY marketing ideas for small budgets. She is furmom to former strays Airby, Cherry, Officer and Esther.

As the Director of Coffee & Beverages for Nestlé in the South Asia Region, Sunayan brings a wealth of experience and a diverse professional background to the judging panel of the Effies. With 28 years in the industry, including 18 years at Nestlé and a decade at Perfetti Van Melle, he has honed expertise across various functions such as General Management, Business Strategy, Marketing, and Field Sales Operations within leading FMCG multinational corporations.

Sunayan's career is marked by significant accomplishments in business turnarounds, the establishment of new ventures, and driving robust growth for well-established brands. Having grown up and primarily worked in India, he was also exposed to global perspectives, having lived and worked in Switzerland.

A strong advocate for delivering exceptional and sustainable outcomes, Sunayan believes in the power of respect, clarity of purpose, and a conscientious approach to business. With a commitment to creating value and enhancing environments, he aims to ensure that every initiative leaves a positive impact, embodying the ethos of leaving spaces better than they were found.

A seasoned and passionate marketer, SzeKi is Senior Vice President and Head of EDB’s Brand, Marketing and Communications division. She leads integrated marketing and communications efforts to drive EDB’s mission of creating sustainable economic growth for Singapore, with vibrant businesses and good job opportunities.

SzeKi was previously Executive Director, Community and Brand at SGInnovate, which promotes Singapore as a place of thriving innovation in Deep Tech entrepreneurship. She built the brand and community team from scratch to achieve SGInnovate’s mission of enabling ambitious and talented men and women to build, commercialise and scale globally-relevant Deep Tech innovations from Singapore. In less than three years, she helped establish SG Innovate as a leading force in driving Deep Tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Singapore and internationally.

Thanh Anh is the Head of Country Marketing at Grab. Thanh Anh joined Grab following a decade of experience in the FMCG industry, where she honed her expertise in brand building, channel development, and customer engagement across various categories. Her previous roles include leading Global Innovation for the Japan & North Asia E-commerce market and serving as the Lead of Channel and Categories for Unilever. Thanh Anh offers deep insights into Vietnamese consumer behaviour, a vast network of commercial merchants, and extensive marketing expertise across multiple domains.

Thanh Anh is also deeply committed to behaviour change initiatives. She was a driving force behind the hand-washing campaign in collaboration with Vietnam’s Ministry of Health, which successfully encouraged 26 million rural children to adopt essential hygiene habits. Recently, her team has been the driving force behind several programs of Digital Transformation for SMB and farmers in Vietnam. Under Thanh Anh's leadership, Grab earned several top industry accolades, including BRAND OF THE YEAR and PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR in 2023.

In 2022, Thanh Anh was recognised as one of Vietnam’s top 10 leaders with the prestigious Kotler Impact Award for Excellent Marketing Leadership. She has been a committee member of Vietnam Marketing Association from 2024-2029.

Furthermore, she has served as a jury member for several renowned marketing competitions, including the MMA Smarties, YouTubeWorks Awards, and Vietnam Young Lions, under the auspices of Cannes Lions.

Veetika Deoras is a seasoned professional with 23 years of cross-sectoral experience across Hospitality, Retail, Financial Services, Telecom & Consumer Goods.

She has worked in various companies like - A Titan Company, Tata Capital, Starbucks and is now as the Senior Vice President for Brands and Marketing at The Indian Hotels Company Limited.

Veetika has led teams across Digital Strategy, Data and Analytics, Business Planning, Strategic Planning, Product Management, Consumer Strategy, Brand and Marketing Management and PR.

In her role, she is responsible for strategically managing all the marquee brands in the IHCL portfolio, including Taj - recognized as World’s Strongest Hotel Brand 2024 and India’s strongest brand in 2024 by Brand Finance. She is also responsible for the various marketing initiatives, launching various brands, digital strategy, consumer strategy, campaigns, customer initiatives, the loyalty program, and other membership programs of IHCL.

She is a Fulbright Fellow from Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business and her work has won many awards and shortlists including the prestigious Cannes.

She is a great advocate of diversity and is passionate about mentoring women to help them achieve their potential. She loves the outdoors and is an avid sportsperson.

Vivian is an experienced marketing professional with extensive experience in content development and communications, with a flair for brand building through storytelling.

At Four Seasons, she oversees Marketing campaigns as well as Advertising, Digital Marketing and Creative Development functions in Asia Pacific, covering diverse markets including China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia.

Yada Sarttarasathit Harel was appointed as the first Chief Digital and Marketing Officer (CDMO) for L’Oréal Thailand in July 2019. With over 20 years of experience in multinational organizations and 17 years with L’Oréal, Yada has established herself as a distinguished leader in the field.

Over the course of her career with L’Oreal, Yada has been given the responsibility for 3 international assignments. Started at L’Oréal Thailand in Feb 2008 as a Product Manager for Skincare, in 4 years she expanded her expertise across multiple categories and brands, including cosmetics, haircare, and hair coloring.

In 2012, Yada became one of the first Thai talents appointed to L’Oréal’s Global Headquarters in Paris as a Senior Regional Marketing Project Manager. She later continued her role in the APAC office in Shanghai, with the scope expansion. In 2015, she returned to Thailand to assume the newly created position of Marketing Director for Makeup, where she led the strategic direction for multiple brands.

In 2018, Yada took on the role of Country Digital Director, with a focus on driving digital acceleration for the group. Her exceptional performance led to her promotion in July 2019 to Chief Digital and Marketing Officer (CDMO). For the past years, Yada has been at the forefront of L’Oréal’s transformation agenda, leveraging digital innovation, e-commerce expansion, media excellence, advocacy & content, consumer intelligence, and in-house data & analytics capabilities to solidify L’Oréal’s position as the leading Beauty-Tech company in Thailand.

Beyond her role at L’Oréal, Yada contributes as a curriculum consultant for marketing programs at Thammasat University and Bangkok University. She is a respected figure in the marketing community, frequently invited as a judge, panelist, and keynote speaker at industry events.

Yada is from Thailand. She is married and has two wonderful daughters. She enjoys coaching her daughters to grow up – her family enjoys travelling anytime possible.

I began my career at Dentsu Inc. as a Marketing Strategist, dedicating over 30 years to working as a Business Producer for global clients. Recently, I transitioned to the client side, embracing the dynamic world of business transformation and relishing the second phase of my professional journey.

As an experienced marketing professional, I have a strong background in leading marketing and communication strategies. I am committed to enhancing brand presence and driving customer engagement through innovative campaigns and effective communication. My expertise lies in managing cross-functional teams and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders.

A seasoned commercial leader with a career spanning diverse industries. As Meta’s Managing Director of Global Clients, Cindy leads a team advising Fortune 500 brands to scale their business with Meta’s solutions.Prior to Meta, she served as Chief Commercial Officer at INTO University Partnerships, where she led international recruitment, operations, and digital marketing teams during the Covid pandemic.

Her previous roles include:
Global Vice President for Retail and APAC Display at TripAdvisor, where she expanded the company's presence across APAC and launched new business verticals.
Leading the expansion of BBC Worldwide into China, signing strategic media partnerships and managing high-stakes government relations.
Cindy is also a Board Director at MM2 Asia, a SGX-listed global media and entertainment company, and a Board Member of The Marketing Society. She founded Newton Leaders, a career development platform, and advises digital startups entering APAC markets.

She holds double EMBA degrees from UCLA and NUS, an Executive Certificate in Finance from INSEAD, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Monash University.

Over the past 20 years, Dominique has worked with the largest global agency networks (Saatchi & Leo Burnett notably) in France and Germany. He moved to the dark client side to lead the global advertising department at Swatch out of Switzerland. During his tenure, Swatch was awarded the “advertiser of the year” accolade at the Cannes Advertising festival. He was a member of P&G's expert group of Brand Building Integrated Communications for 19 years. With P&G, he has covered most of the world with stints in Europe, MEA, Latin America and Asia out of Singapore.

He started his own branding and marketing company, Shokunin, offering marketing as a service for SMBs on a growth trajectory. Shokunin aims to go beyond classical consultancy structures and provide expert support at times of accelerated growth (capital raising) or stalling (value extraction). Dominique is also a marketing teacher and runs marketing training programmes globally to upskill marketing teams. He has a passion to build long-lasting in the new ever-changing marketing world. And is keen to explore how to leverage FMCG marketing skills for foodtech and medtech ventures. He is French, married to a New Zealander with global 3 kids.

Originally from Germany, Jan has spent over 15 years in Asia (Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Bangkok). He is a seasoned expert in communication and marketing and has had local, regional and global roles in both international 4A agencies as well as on the client side (Global Media Investment Director at Huawei, Global Media Director at OPPO, Regional Director for Brand Media and Performance at foodpanda). He is passionate about insights, creativity, analytics, strategy and innovation and specializes in driving measurable business results through strategic campaigns and effective leadership. He successfully developed and implemented holistic data driven campaigns for world leading brands of various industries throughout China, Asia Pacific and Western Europe.

Jan is fluent in English, German, conversational in Mandarin Chinese and equipped with an MBA. As a respected industry expert, Jan is a regular industry panellist and judge for distinguished global, regional and local and marketing awards.

Since 2023 Jan leads Virtus Asia Consulting as the CEO aiming to become the partner he always wanted to have.

Born in Hong Kong, Kitty received a Masters Degree in Advertising from Syracuse University, New York.

Kitty started as a copywriter and is the rare breed of creatives who moved up to management. She worked in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China mainland, for Leo Burnett, McCann, Euro RSCG, Arnold, Lowe and accumulated a lot of local and international creative awards. In 2016, Kitty moved to Facebook (now Meta) to head up Creative Shop Greater China to explore innovative ways to deliver creative content on a platform with the world’s largest audience.

In 2011, Kitty initiated and hosted the Cannes Lions main stage forum “Beyond Mad Man: Towards Gender Balance in Creative Roles”. She was honoured by AdAge as one of the Women to Watch in Advertising in China in 2013. Kitty was behind the world's most awarded print campaign in 2015. Judged and chaired many international and creative awards including D&AD and, Kitty is a two-time Cannes Lion jury.

Kitty is the author of “Kitty Lun | Advertising Without Lipstick”, 2003 in which she shared her philosophy and experience in her eventful advertising life. In 2022, she co-authored with 19 Advertising veterans and published “Philosophy of Everything".

Lee has over 30 years of experience in market research in both Europe and the Asia Pacific region. He began his career in a client-side marketing role before joining GfK based in London.

2023- Present Vice President, Global, Media Measurement, GfK, an NIQ Company Leading the Commercial Division for Media Measurement Globally

2011-2023 – Commercial Director APAC, Media, GfK Asia
Leading the media research division for one of the world’s leading market research agencies. Involved in all areas of media research including industry currencies and custom projects. Under his leadership, GfK was awarded the Radio Audience Measurement in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and the multi-platform TV Audience Measurement in Singapore.

2009 – 2011 – Managing Director APAC, Analytic Partners
Leading a boutique analytics agency in the APAC region working with blue chip clients on marketing mix modelling projects.

2001 – 2009 – Sales & Marketing Director APAC, GfK Asia
Heading the commercial division of one of the leading market research agencies in the APAC region.

Nikhil's journey reflects a deep passion for unearthing brand truths and translating them into captivating narratives. From his roots in broadcast and entertainment, shaping content for icons like Disney and National Geographic & Viacom, he seamlessly transitioned to the digital & led transformative initiatives for Aircel, Maxus, and Nestle, driving digital transformations & defining content strategies.

Now, as TikTok's Brand & Creative Lead, Nikhil empowers brands and agencies to unlock their full potential on the platform. Leading a team of creative strategists across Southeast Asia, he fosters an environment of exploration and innovation, unlocking authentic voices for brands to connect with the dynamic TikTok audience.

Co-founder of BetterBriefs, ex-agency strategist. Pieter-Paul trains the world's biggest and most ambitious brands how to get better at writing briefs and evaluating ideas after having conducted the largest and first global study into briefs. Having won numerous Effie awards, including two Grand Effies and one IPA Effectiveness award, he knows client briefs and their effectiveness inside out.

Ramesh is the founder and principal consultant at In Plain Sight Consulting, a strategy boutique focused on the pursuit of simple and elegant paths to influence behaviour, build brands, groom talent and nurture relationships.

He has been in the business of building brands across Asia Pacific for more than 25 years, having held leadership roles in blue chip agencies like M&C Saatchi, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy and TNS. He is experienced in driving global and regional strategy for top-notch brands that include Carro, Friesland Campina, Samsung, BP Castrol, Philips, Shell and Royal Brunei Airlines among others. His deep knowledge of Asian consumers combined with a passion to understand human behaviour is a proven asset in solving business problems for clients. He is passionate about Behavioural Economics, and is a firm believer in the power of ideas to influence behavioural change.

At present, Ramesh works closely with manufacturers in China, collaborating with them to build global brands from scratch. He spends his free time pursuing his passions – teaching, writing, mentoring, running, tennis, traveling and spending quality time with the family.

Yoshi is an international planner who founded StrategyX, a strategy-focused brand marketing company, which is one of the largest network of bilingual planners in Japan. He possesses extensive experience from his six years leading the strategy department at McCann Tokyo. He has lived, studied, and worked in many parts of the world, including the United States, China, and Japan. He started his career in Hakuhodo as a planner and later moved to Shanghai Hakuhodo as the Head of Strategic Planning, where he worked on projects for prominent international brands ranging from toiletry brands to automotive brands.

APAC Effie 2019 Silver (Thermos), APAC Effie Jury 2016-2020, 2023-25, Global Effies 'Best of the Best' Grand Jury 2021.

He is also a well-known Chinese market specialist with an academic background, has written numbers of published books, and has contributed to numerous articles in business magazines in Japan. His speech regarding globalization at Adfest, Spikes, and Effies met favorable reception.

His love towards China has also led to judging the 2012 & 2014 Chinese International Advertising Festival, appeared on TV debate program "Brainstorm", and taught advertising planning as a Visiting Professor at Shanghai Tongji University.

Yoshi is passionate about the forces that are driving our industry, and has a fascination for Asian culture. He holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs (East Asian Studies) from The George Washington University in Washington DC. Currently Yoshi also teaches brand strategy at Aoyama Gakuin University MBA in Tokyo, and also serves as a Specially Appointed Professor at National Shinshu University.