PASIG CITY, PHILIPPINES — IdeasXMachina Hakuhodo, a 4As Top Five Network Agency Of The Year 2023, has unveiled a series of significant appointments and promotions, marking a new era of leadership and evolution.
Jazz Ilagan ascends as the new CEO of NJYN, the group’s creative innovation unit. Joining him is Rice Simpao as Managing Director. Adding to the management team, Grey Yuzon returns and teams up with co-ECD Gab Navarro to foster grounded and groundbreaking work.
Lawin Bulatao, former CEO of NJYN, emerges as the new Chief Creative Officer of the group and Creative-At-Large of Hakuhodo International Philippines (HIP), ready to inject solid creative strategies into the organization.
Furthermore, Mikael DeLara Co, a multiple-times top-prize winner at the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, takes the reins as Head Of Copy and Editor-In-Chief of Journalixm, the thought-leadership publishing arm. He, along with long-time Creative Director Kix Homo as Head of Art, aims to enhance the group’s human-craft excellence.
The administrative backbone of the group is also strengthened with Kateh Alconga stepping up as Chief Administrative Officer, and in a strategic client relations move, Shine Avecilla-Riofrio is named Client-Services Director and Head Of Accounts of IXM, the group’s flagship brand-handling Agency.
Kenta Ikoma is appointed Regional Creative Director and Head of Highball, a new agency focusing on global Japanese clients. Shu Takahashi joins from London and Tokyo as Business Unit Director of IXM.
The digital and social estate of the group expands with Care Parreño promoted to Managing Director of Socialixm. Additionally, Jigo “Watch” Reloj heads the new data science unit, Mechanixm, and DrJ Maducdoc leads LegionX, giving clients further advantage in algorithmic media.
Another piece of exciting news is that Spiderdan Geromo takes charge of Understory, the comics and intellectual property creation unit, venturing into the entertainment, wearables, and IP business. Additionally, the dynamic duo, Vincent Bud-oy and Ady Torres-Bud-oy, come in as Joint-ECDs of IXM. Knight De Guzman, Rrrr Barria, Snow Schnabel and Eureka dela Cruz continue to serve as Creative Directors.
Group CEO Jedd Ilagan emphasized that these appointments reflect the group’s commitment to fostering leadership in Creative Engineering. Country Director and HIP Chief Growth Officer Tatsuro Osuga also said that he is expecting these leaders to infuse new perspectives across the agencies and affiliates, and unleash the aspirations of the seikatsusha.
Third Domingo, the founder, continues to serve as Chairman of the Group, and CEO of HIP, guiding the group toward a visionary future.
