SINGAPORE – DDB Group Singapore has fortified its strategic planning capabilities with the appointment of Daniel Huang as Senior Strategist. His arrival coincides with the global launch of DDB’s pioneering tool, the Feels Barometer – designed to decode and harness human emotion at scale.
Huang brings to the role a wealth of international experience, having held key strategic roles in Shanghai, London, and Hong Kong. With a background that spans FMCG, consumer tech and hospitality, Huang has worked with leading global brands such as Unilever where he played a critical role in evolving Dove’s purpose led beauty campaigns across diverse cultural contexts and Huawei, where he helped steer the global launches of the Mate 40 and P40 smartphones, as well as the Huawei Global Photography Awards.
At DDB Group Singapore, Huang will report to Subodh Deshpande, the agency’s Chief Strategy Officer who joined the network last year. Together, they will drive brand and customer experience strategy across the agency’s growing portfolio of regional and global clients.
Joining Huang on the strategy bench is Annabelle Goh, Brand and Social Strategist, who arrives from Ogilvy Singapore. Known for her digital-first campaigns and social strategy, Goh has led work for major accounts such as The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive and Unilever, and was part of the team named E-commerce Team of the Year by Marketing Interactive.
Also part of the strategy lineup is Planning Director Susanna Yap, a 12-year DDB veteran. Yap has shaped brand strategy for marquee clients including Google, DBS Bank and McDonald’s, earning recognition for her social first approach and deep understanding of brand behavior in Asia.
The strategy department is further enhanced by Kenneth Wee, a researcher, strategist and futurist whose multidisciplinary background spans editorial, cultural insight, and data storytelling. With project experience across the U.S. and Southeast Asia, Wee specializes in illuminating the unspoken cultural drivers that shape consumer sentiment.
Huang’s appointment arrives at a pivotal moment as DDB unveils its Feels Barometer – a groundbreaking planning tool created in collaboration with insights agency TRA. Going far beyond conventional sentiment analysis, the Feels Barometer is powered by an extensive global study that examines the intensity, cultural nuances and even sensory dimensions (such as colour, shape and temperature) of human emotion.
A localized Asian edition of the tool is expected later this year, offering brands deeper resonance in one of the world’s most emotionally and culturally nuanced regions.
“We have seen first-hand the power of feelings to gain an emotional advantage,” said Deshpande. “As a hub for regional clients, the Feels Barometer will be instrumental in making sure our campaigns align with the unique emotional drivers of diverse audiences. This is particularly pertinent in Southeast Asia, one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world.”
“I believe that a brand’s value lies in its meaningful impact on people,” adds Huang. “Thanks to our incredible team and the powerful resources we have at hand, we are in the best position possible to empower clients with creative ideas that move people deeply.”
The Feels Barometer will be integrated into DDB’s global strategic and creative process, adding to the global group’s proprietary AI tool stack – RAND DDB. Clients will now have access to in-depth reports, interactive workshops, and customised applications of the tool tailored to their specific industry.
