MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Southeast Asia Best Culture Agency Of The Year IDEASXMACHINA Group of Hakuhodo welcomed 2023 with new leadership. Former Head of Strategy and Social Media Director Jedd Ilagan is now the CEO. He is the reigning Best Young Business Leader at the Campaign Asia magazine’s yearly rankings.
Since his start at IdeasXMachina, Jedd has been breaking barriers by being the youngest employee in the company to be appointed Board of Director and was the concurrent head of BRAND-Y and SOCIALIXM, two business units that contributed mightily to the group’s strong financial showing in 2022.
Founder-Chairman and now former CEO Third Domingo said: “Have I ever been truly, madly, deeply impressed with an employee? Yes. Jedd Ilagan. He applied at IdeasXMachina, a postgraduate student and college professor of Biology, intrigued with the splendor of our art. If only he knew. I always preached the utility of science in creativity: ideasxmachina = creative engineering, but he was really quite the one who put the method to our madness.”
Jedd has been instrumental in blockbuster account wins in 2022: Globe, TM, P&G, Bayer, Philusa, TCI, and Max’s. He’s a member of the Hakuhodo Institute Of Life and Living (HILL), which studies and publishes thought-leading insights on consumers in Asia.
“Jedd thinks about the consumer as whole person when he works—seikatsusha in action! We are very proud of him and excited to see where he will bring IdeasXMachina, already quite the darling in the Hakuhodo Global network,” commented Tatsuro Osuga, Country Director of Hakuhodo International Philippines.
Other new appointments in IdeasXMachina include the following:
Kate Alconga to Chief Administrative Officer of the group and Managing Director of IXM, the flagship creative Agency of IdeasXMachina. Shai “Shine” Avecilla-Riofrio, formerly of Dentsu, is now Client Services Director, and Tobias “Blade” Bernardo previously from Catalytx, is now Business Unit Director.
Dovie “Rocket” Raquel to CEO of the recently incorporated FART Visibles and Final Art production unit, which was also the bronze winner of the Campaign 2022 Best Production House of the year.
Jeff “Dutch” Paulino to CEO of IdeasXMachina’s PR arm called Prixm, which he helped start in 2018.
Jasper “Jazz” Ilagan to Chief Creative Officer of IXM; Gab Navarro to Executive Creative Director, and Ara “Rrrr” Baria to Creative Director – all three creative leaders are the youngest in the industry at their respective positions.
“I’m honored to be leading a one-of-a-kind, all-time great, weird, team,” expressed Jedd. “Exactly 10 years ago, I joined IdeasXMachina with absolutely no advertising experience. And until now, I still am learning new things, to see what the data don’t, etc. I honestly could not guess what the hell Third is thinking—passing the torch to me. But ‘leader’ isn’t about being ready, like he always says, it’s about having the heart and humility to serve the seikatsusha, and kaizen oneself and everyone else. I’m excited to take the organization to the next level, so help me lord! Haha! With ourselves and with our work, expect IdeasXMachina to continue to inspire the target market, our clients, our teammates, our fellowmen, and even our competition!”
