Octagon announces promotions, expanded mandate for Ben Hartman and Aykan Azar
Aykan Azar
Ben Hartman
Sports focused integrated marketing agency Octagon has announced the promotion of Ben Hartman as chief client officer international and Aykan Azar as managing director for Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
Hartman who was most recently managing director of Asia-Pacific steps into the newly created role with a mandate that extends across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Azar who used to be managing director of South East Asia and Japan has an expanded mandate which includes Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, India, the Middle East and Africa.
The announcement:
Octagon, the preeminent integrated marketing and talent management agency in global sports and entertainment, today announced the promotion of Ben Hartman to a newly created role as Chief Client Officer, International, and Aykan Azar to Managing Director, APAC, Middle East and Africa.
As Chief Client Officer, International, Hartman will oversee the way the agency operates and supports clients through creative, planning, strategy, data and innovation, across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Hartman will retain his base in Sydney, where he previously served as Octagon’s Managing Director of APAC.
Azar, formerly Managing Director of South East Asia and Japan, will now oversee offices across Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, India, the Middle East and Africa.
Hartman and Azar will report to John Shea, Global President, Marketing and Events, Octagon Worldwide.
“Ben and Aykan’s contributions to Octagon and our clients around the world has been phenomenal, and we’re thrilled to have them leading our marketing, creative, planning, strategy and innovation efforts across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa,” said Shea. “Octagon’s many decades of success has always been based on providing the highest level of work and exceeding expectations. Ben and Aykan’s leadership, experience, and creativity, will continue to guarantee our clients the best marketing and consulting service in the industry.”
“Our business across the world has grown and diversified at a significant pace over the past five years. With this evolution, we want to ensure that we are looking to improve, broaden and expand the scale and quality of work that we deliver for our clients,” said Hartman. “I’m incredibly excited to be getting back on the tools in many ways, as I see the strong creative and strategic work that is being produced across the agency and feel fortunate that we are dedicating even more resource and energy to this.”
“Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa are a huge focus for our global business, both for our current clients, as well as for the evolution of the sport and entertainment landscape across the world,” said Azar. “The work Octagon is already doing in the region with brands such as Standard Chartered, Mastercard and Expedia, has allowed us to collaborate across markets and teams, and drive tremendous results for our clients. We are excited to continue to grow as a borderless business.”
Hartman and Azar join Lou Kovacs, President of Marketing, North America, and Jeff Meeson, Managing Director, Europe, on a newly formed executive team reporting into Shea.
Source: Octagon press release
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