WPP has named outgoing Digitas APAC chief executive officer Annette Male to lead the newly formed Wunderman Thompson agency.
Wunderman Thompson is the result of a global move by WPP to consolidate businesses, with Wunderman and J W Thompson becoming one entity in November last year, with Mel Edwards leading the charge globally.
In this new role, Male will report into Edwards, starting on 1 March 2019, and be responsible for all North Asian and South East Asian markets.
J. Walter Thompson was led in APAC by John Gutteridge, who stays within the group in a new role leading the newly formed group as chief executive officer of Wunderman Thompson in the AUNZ region. He will also be a member of the AUNZ exec committee at WPP, responsible for innovation across the group.
Caspar Schlickum, who was running Wunderman as chief executive officer of APAC will not be continuing on, with WPP confirming that he is taking on a new role elsewhere. Schlickum had moved to Singapore for the role over two years ago, after leading Xaxis in Europe.
Mel Edwards, the global chief executive officer, Wunderman Thompson, said, “APAC is a key growth market for Wunderman Thompson, and we couldn’t be more delighted to have Annette leading our team there to deliver best in class work for our clients. Annette’s passion and understanding of the integration of creativity, data, and technology make her the right choice for us. We are excited for what the future holds in APAC.”
Prior to joining Wunderman Thompson, Male was leading Publicis digital agency Digitas across the region. She has held senior roles in both Asia and Europe, including deputy managing director at integrated agency Kitcatt Nohr, as well as roles at CHI & Partners, Tequila London, and TBWA\GGT.
