SINGAPORE — Publicis Groupe continues to build its regional creative team with three key hires: Laurent Thevenet is joining as Head of Creative Technology for Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (APAC & MEA), based in Singapore. Anna Tomasetti joins as Creative Community Manager, APAC & MEA, while Barbara Messer joins as Head of Creative PR, APAC & MEA. They report to Natalie Lam, Chief Creative Officer, APAC & MEA, and will work with her to strengthen the creative community and creative product across the region.
Thevenet is joining Publicis Groupe from R/GA Singapore where he was Executive Technology Director, overseeing work across Southeast Asia and having led projects across China, India, the Middle East and Australia. He founded the APAC R/GA Prototype Studio in 2016 – the only studio of its kind outside of R/GA New York, which developed prototypes for clients such as Nike, Uber, Google, Siemens, and Nikon.
“Laurent is many things: a thinker, maker, musician and coder who knows the latest about all things tech and brand values. Having him in the Groupe will bring firepower and magic to help our clients connect with their audience in a region full of rich traditions and big ambitions for the future. He joins a team of integrated thinkers and technologists, where he will add to our Power of One belief and collaborate across borders. I’m thrilled he’s joining us,” says Lam.
Originally from France, Thevenet moved to Singapore in 2008. After running an e-commerce startup, a web television channel, and an interactive studio, he joined the advertising industry in 2012. He recently led the product strategy, design, and architecture of the Zig app, made from scratch in less than one year. Other highly acclaimed projects include a personalized music video for Uber based on user riding data; and a network of connected basketball courts for the Nike China Rise Academy.
“Joining Publicis Groupe was an obvious choice for me. I’m an engineer by training but have always worked at the intersection of music, art, creativity and technology, which makes the role a perfect fit. The scale of Publicis Groupe, the spectrum of its skills and capabilities, and the opportunity to impact work across so many offices was irresistible. I’m fascinated by the possibilities in a region that’s home to some of the world’s most populous and technologically advanced markets,” he says.
Thevenet joins Publicis Groupe in October 2021 and will remain based in Singapore.
