MullenLowe Group merges South East Asia markets under helm of ex-Possible CEO Paul Soon
Paul Soon and Vincent Digonnet
MullenLowe Group is merging three separate markets in Asia to create one aligned South East Asia business under its ‘hyperbundled’ strategy.
The network has combined Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong to create MullenLowe Group South East Asia, which will be led by the ex-chief executive officer of Possible Paul Soon.
Under the new single P&L, the group will combine its creative agency with the digital business, MullenLowe Profero, plus its media buying division, Mediahub, and the newly acquired corporate PR wing of MullenLowe Salt.
Soon effectively replaced the recently-departed MullenLowe Singapore chief executive officer Shannon Cullum, who left the agency after one year to join a new start-up.
The agency also recently reorganised its other South East Asian markets into ‘Greater Mekong’ under the leadership of Neil Holt.
Soon’s move to MullenLowe follows his departure from Possible last year, after WPP merged it into Wunderman.
A digital veteran of 18 years, Soon was the founder of ADinc.com (Advertising and Digital) in 2000, which was subsequently bought out by AKQA.
He then joined XM Asia where he held leadership positions for nine years, becoming APAC CEO in 2011 where he successfully grew a single market agency into one that is now present in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Hong Kong as Mirum.
He said: “MullenLowe Group exists in essence to give our clients an unfair share of attention. I love that challenger mind-set
and the entrepreneurial spirit that goes with it.
“Culture is a huge part of why I am attracted to MullenLowe Group. I look forward to working with Vincent and the regional leadership team to be the best version of ourselves over the years. Having built businesses from the ground up and led operations in the context of large groups, I look forward to combining both in joining a global boutique like MullenLowe Group.”
Eleanor Dickinson is the editor of Mumbrella Asia. Eleanor joined the Asia platform from Dubai, where she acted as senior reporter for Campaign Middle East.
Queer smiles. Odd physical distance between them too.
ReplyThat feels a lot like a company in trouble.
HK now part of SEA? While two actual SEA countries get “hyper-bundled” into an entirely separate grouping?
Not sure it matters for HK though. Last I heard, Lowe in HK was a few desks and a couple of bodies.
Bit of a poisoned chalice for Paul I would think. I’ll give it less than one year.
ReplyMullen-Lowe’s management can’t be as daft as JWT’s Jacco ter Schegget and Farooq Madon.
The two oafs have just lost the Changi business that Gutteridge’s predecessors triumphantly brought home during the agency’s glory days.
http://www.marketing-interactive.com/jwt-sends-out-internal-memo-confirming-end-of-changi-relationship/?utm_campaign=20180125_mktdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=SG&utm_content=feature
ReplyHave your say