ASIA-PACIFIC – SINGAPORE, MAY 15, 2013 – The Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity has announced the five jury presidents who will take the helm of the Branded Content & Entertainment, Direct and Promo & Activation, Media, PR and Film, Press, Outdoor, Radio and Integrated juries.
Tham Khai Meng, worldwide chief creative officer of Ogilvy & Mather, has been named jury president of the Film, Press, Outdoor and Radio Jury as well as the Integrated Jury. During his 28-year career, Meng has explored every corner of the ad business while building brands and agencies on four continents. He joined Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific in 2000 as co-chairman, and during his stay was named Campaign Brief Asia’s ‘Creative Director of the Year’ for seven straight years and was inducted into the Campaign Brief Hall of Fame.
He moved to New York in 2009 to assume his current post and spark a creative renaissance throughout Ogilvy & Mather. Three years after his arrival, Meng led Ogilvy & Mather to victory at Cannes Lions taking home a Grand Prix, 83 Lions and for the first time in the agency’s history, the Network of the Year award.
About his position as jury president, Khai says, “It’s a great honour to be invited to serve as jury president for the Film, Press, Outdoor, Radio, and Integrated categories at Spikes Asia. After five years away from Asia Pacific, and now with a different lens, I am thrilled with the prospect of curating the great work coming out from this vibrant part of the world.”
Mike Cooper, worldwide CEO of PHD, will head up the Media Jury. Starting his career at Saatchi & Saatchi London, Cooper moved to Asia in 1989 and was responsible for starting what is now Zenith in China in 1990. He joined OMD Asia Pacific in 1997, and was the driving force behind their regional expansion which grew to 26 offices and saw them become the number two media specialist in the region as well as the most awarded media agency in APAC. In 2005 he launched PHD across the Asia Pacific region and a year later was named ‘Regional Head of the Year for Asia’ by Media Magazine. In 2007 he became CEO of PHD Worldwide, responsible for growing the network which today has over 73 offices in 62 countries worldwide, with clients that include Unilever, HP, GSK, VW Group, Elizabeth Arden, Starbucks and Canon.
Cooper says: “Having worked in media and marketing in Asia for 19 years I am thrilled to be returning to be Spikes as Media Jury President in 2013. Asia is still the most exciting place to be in the world from a media perspective and I know we’ll be looking at some outstanding work and I will be working alongside some of the region’s best senior media talent. I cannot wait.”
Jose Miguel Sokoloff, president of Lowe Global Creative Council and co-chairman/CCO of Lowe SSP3 Colombia, will preside over the Direct and Promo & Activation Jury. Since joining the company over 15 years ago, Lowe SSP3 has become the second largest agency in Colombia and gained recognition as the most consistently creative agency in the market. It was the first Colombian agency to have its work named in the Gunn Report’s most awarded list in the world and earlier this year, it was awarded Advertising Age’s ‘International Agency of the Year’, the first time a Colombian agency has taken this accolade. In 2011, Sokoloff was appointed to the role of president of Lowe and Partners Global Creative Council and in 2012 he won Colombia’s first Black D&AD pencil, the only one awarded that year. Last year he took home Latin America’s first coveted Titanium Lion for his agency’s work against terrorism in Colombia.
“Being invited to judge at any of the Lions Festivals is always an honour. Time spent in the judging room serves to remind me what I love about this job and this industry," said Sokoloff. "The work and talent coming out of Asia never fails to surprise and I look forward to seeing what Spikes Asia brings to the fore in 2013.”
Lynne Anne Davis, president and senior partner at FleishmanHillard Asia Pacific, will serve as president for the PR Jury. Davis oversees the agency’s operations across 19 owned offices and three brands in 10 countries. Under her leadership, FleishmanHillard won “Asia Pacific Network of the Year” honors four times from three celebrated industry organisations for exceptional growth, retention of clients and talent, creative excellence and innovation in new services. Named “Standout Agency” on the 2013 A-List and “Best Places to Work 2012” by Advertising Age, the agency recently launched a major global rebrand to reflect its evolution as a “fully integrated communications company.” With 25 years of PR experience, Davis is frequently called upon to comment on industry issues by the likes of The Asian Wall Street Journal, South China Morning Post, CNBC and Working Mother.
“It’s a time of seismic shifts in the industry as public relations has crossed boundaries to apply its undeniable power and influence in a more integrated world," said Davis. "Creativity remains at the heart of the world’s best work and I’m thrilled to be at the coalface of the best of the best in Asia by leading the PR jury for the region’s most revered showcase of creative excellence. I expect to be blown away by the true ingenuity of this year’s most ground-breaking PR campaigns.”
Leading the Branded Content & Entertainment Jury will be Anthony Freedman, group CEO of Host. Freedman founded Host in 2000 and by 2008, it became the largest independent agency in Australia and remained so until 2011 when a partnership with Havas Worldwide was announced. Today Host has offices in Sydney and Singapore and a list of clients that include global brands like Coca-Cola, Lego and Sony Playstation. Anthony began his career in London before moving to Sydney where he joined Spin Communications. In 2007 he co-founded PR and social media agency One Green Bean, which has quickly become the most celebrated agency of its type in Australia. He was elected the inaugural chairman of The Communications Council in 2010 and heads a board of twelve industry leaders from agencies across Australia.
Commenting on his appointment Freedman says, “There’s lots of attention around the world from agencies and brands, on both Branded Content and Asia, so it’s extremely exciting to be Jury President of a much talked about category within the pre-eminent Asian awards show.”
Spikes Asia is currently open for delegate registration and from 16 May 2013 will accept entries into the 16 awards categories. Further information can be found online at www.spikes.asia.
