SINGAPORE – The APAC Effie Awards brings on board Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive for the Marketing Group at Singapore Tourism Board (STB), and Natalie Lockwood, Chief Marketing Officer for National Australia Bank (NAB) to join the 2026 Judging Committee. They will serve as Heads of Jury, leading the jury and moderating deliberations that will produce winners from the regional effectiveness competition.
As STB’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kenneth oversees the building of the Singapore destination brand globally and helms its marketing efforts to attract international visitors, including running brand and segment campaigns, developing global marketing partnerships, customer insights and marketing channel analysis, communications and marketing capability development. His international experience includes previously heading STB’s offices in India, and overseeing STB’s Indonesia, Philippines, and Oceania operations.
Across his 22 years at STB, Kenneth has held several roles ranging from International Marketing, Industry and Precinct Development, Policy, and Marketing Planning. He also spearheaded initiatives to support and pivot the tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On his appointment, Kenneth said, “I’m honoured to be a Head of Jury for the 2026 APAC Effie Awards and am looking forward to evaluating some of the region’s most outstanding marketing work that not only pushes boundaries in creativity but also drives business outcomes. Ready to be inspired!”
Natalie is an accomplished marketing leader who built her career working in Australia and Asia Pacific in the financial services and payments industry, taking the helm of the marketing team at NAB–one of Australia’s most recognised brands–since the start of 2025. Prior to NAB, Natalie held senior leadership positions, including Vice President, Marketing AuNZSP at Visa and General Manager of Marketing at ASX Limited.
Her extensive international experience spans across agency and client-side work, serving as Managing Director of Edge Asia Vietnam, a digital marketing agency within the STW Group (WPP), and Group Head of Regional Marketing for Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa at MasterCard where she spent 12 years. Earlier in her career, Natalie worked in Cards at Citibank Australia and started her career at Westpac.
On her appointment, Natalie said, “I am delighted to be appointed as a Head of Jury for the APAC Effie Awards. The Effies are the gold standard of our industry, recognising marketing that delivers proven effectiveness and business results. At a time when marketing is evolving rapidly and under increasing scrutiny, the ability to combine creativity with strategic discipline to drive business outcomes has never been more important. I look forward to celebrating high-impact work that raises the bar for marketing excellence across the APAC region.”
The Effies are the globally recognised gold-standard for marketing effectiveness, making an Effie the coveted award for any marketer. Into its 13th year, the APAC Effie Awards provides Asia Pacific’s rapidly evolving industry with a platform to celebrate the best marketing works from across the diverse region it serves.
The remaining Heads of Jury and Jury members will be announced in the coming weeks. To view the current line-up, see here and to see the latest competition updates, visit apaceffie.com
