SINGAPORE — Bricoleur Consulting, an HR services firm for the media, digital, and technology industries, has re-launched askbricoleur.com as AskBricoleur-LML.com, an initiative which seeks to support professionals from the media, digital, e-commerce and technology industries as they navigate not just a K-shaped recovery through the pandemic but also changed personal and professional priorities. The pandemic has brought hurt and grief to many in Asia. Being faced with one’s mortality individuals have become wiser about their priorities, both personal and professional. The pandemic has also resulted in changed ways of working and helped us realize what we are capable of and what our boundaries are. As a result, many of us are actively looking to make changes to our professional trajectories and work choices.
Ask Bricoleur, Leaders Mentor Leaders (LML) is an opportunity for marketing and technology professionals from across the region to tap into the learnings and perspectives of senior leaders, people who are in senior leadership positions in the media, digital, e-commerce and technology industries. AskBricoleur-LML is time limited from October 10th – 30th and allows a confidential one-on-one chat with someone with a history of a high level of achievement in your specific specialty.
The senior leaders that you can tap into include:
- Gergo Szanko
Gergo Szanko is Senior Director of Analytics, Global Core Solutions at Essence, a global data and measurement-driven media agency that is part of GroupM.
Based out of Singapore, he leads development and automation efforts for the agency’s analytics solutions globally. Prior to Essence, Gergo worked at Dentsu in Singapore as Director of Media Analytics for the region. He also had a successful research career in Europe where he contributed to large-scale projects for the European Union’s Regional Development Fund through various agencies, focusing on data-driven decision-making. With his diverse experience, Gergo has a deep understanding of how companies and governments can leverage technology and data for business success. He is especially passionate about cloud computing and big data technologies that enable automation.
- Sonal Patel
Sonal is Managing Director of Quantcast’s technology and data offering in South-East Asia. Sonal has over 17 years of experience in the digital industry with a focus on advertising technologies, mobile, e-commerce and programmatic advertising. Sonal grew the international team of RightMedia Advertising-Exchange in Hong Kong and South-East Asia, which was acquired by Yahoo. She also has experience leading Google’s DFP ad-stack sales for South-East Asia and India, Twitter’s JAPAC ad-exchange offering through Mopub, was Vice President of AppNexus APAC (acquired by AT&T,) ran Programmatic Services, APAC for Dentsu. Nominated for the ExchangeWires ad-tech personality of the year in EMEA and APAC in 2019, Sonal currently is also the Chair of the IAB, South-East Asia and India.
- Robert Kiely
Robert is Senior Vice President, Lazada, one of the biggest e-commerce websites in South-East Asia and performs the Chief of Staff, Strategy and Operations functions. He is also the Executive Coach for the EMCC at Lazada. He is responsible for integration and culture for Lazada Singapore SEA as part of the CEO’s office. Robert started in Operations and Logistics in Europe and has been in Asia since 2012 with time spent in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. He has worked with companies like Dell, Intel, Pfizer Biotech and Boston Scientific and is constantly looking for new ways of driving growth and innovation for the companies he works with.
- Damien Cummings
Damien is one of Asia Pacific’s most recognized digital transformation leaders and was Global Head of Digital Marketing at Standard Chartered in his last corporate role. He’s been awarded “Global Top 50 Digital Marketing Leaders 2016”, “Financial Services Marketer of the Year 2016”, “Digital Marketer of the Year 2016”, “Most Influential CMO 2015”, “Marketing Professional of The Year 2012” and the “Brand Leadership Award 2011”. Damien is currently the Chief, Digital Strategy & Leadership practice at the National University of Singapore (NUS-ISS). He founded HR tech/SaaS company, Peoplewave and has also been in senior and regional marketing leadership roles with Philips, Samsung, Dell, Ogilvy, Coca-Cola and McKinsey & Company.
- Audrey Kuah
Audrey was till recently Dentsu International’s Executive Director, Media Practice, APAC, and Managing Director of the Group’s first global R & D centre, Global Data Innovation Centre, housed in Singapore. Prior to these dual roles, Audrey was its Chief Client Officer, Southeast Asia (2015) and the former CEO of its Singapore operations (2011 – 2014). Audrey’s expertise in marketing, digital transformation and advertising has been deployed across industries such as, consumer goods, banking and finance, technology, travel, tourism, hospitality and new economy companies and across geographies, for more than two decades. Audrey is on the boards of the Singapore Tourism Board and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore International. She was also a member of the Future Economy Council Modern Services Sub-Committee.
- Gowthaman Ragothaman
Gowthaman was till recently Global Client Lead, WPP & Global Blockchain Solutions Lead, GroupM. Mostly known as G’man to many in the marketing fraternity, he is now leading a team of industry experts across marketing, data, insights, security and technology in setting up Aqilliz, the first of its kind blockchain solutions company for the marketing industry. Starting his career as a media planner, G’man has spent 30 years, across multiple geographies, gaining hands on experience at every stage of the value chain from strategy to its execution. He strongly believes that Advertising & Marketing industry is at an inflexion point to reinvent itself for the emerging marketing platform economy.
- Sulin Tan
Sulin joined Carousell in 2019 after 2 decades as an advertising professional with the leading media owner Singapore Press Holdings. Carousell is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing classifieds marketplace platforms across Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Started in 2012, Carousell began in Singapore and now has a leading presence in eight markets under the brands Carousell, Mudah.my, Cho Tot and OneKyat, serving tens of millions of monthly active users. She is the SVP of Operations and also serves as the Chief of Staff. As the operations lead, her role involves getting up close to the users of the platform. Sulin feels deeply privileged to participate in the Carousell mission and work alongside 700+ talented teammates to realise the vision of making second-hand the first choice.
- Joe Nguyen
Joe was Senior Vice President APAC at Comscore till recently where he built the business from scratch with sales and servicing teams and distribution partners across the region over 10 years. In addition to market research, Joe also led the team in offering SaaS products, advanced analytics and ad tech solutions. Prior to Comscore, Joe was the Southeast Asia regional manager for Omniture where he successfully delivered its product suites across diverse industries. He also previously served as the director of global e-commerce at Millennium & Copthorne Hotels. Joe is now a Consultant, Advisor, Speaker, and APAC Board Member of Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). He is also currently consulting with the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) on their Premium Video Advertising Committee and with Vpon Big Data Group on their Southeast Asia market Strategy. Joe is also Ex-Chair of IAB Southeast Asia and India.
- Vivek Kumar
Vivek Kumar is Director of Strategic Marketing and Omnichannel Monetisation at the NTUC FairPrice Group. He has also been Director, Membership at NTUC and an Executive Board Member at NTUC Link. Previously, he was APAC and Middle East Head of Retail Marketing at Shell.
Vivek started his career with media agencies like Mindshare, Maxus, Starcom and IPG. Vivek’s achievements include launching the first AI-powered unmanned convenience store in Singapore in 2020, leading a team which won Global Enterprise First award for a supply chain optimization project at Shell, nearly doubling the NTUC Membership base from 0.5 million in 2011 to almost 1 million in 2019, and leading NTUC Future Leaders Summits. He has been the honorary chairman of the Asia Pacific Advisory Board of the Global CMO Council since 2008. Vivek co-founded the Future of Us movement in 2019.
Bricoleur aims to help marketing and technology professionals find roles where they can be their best through an initiative like AskBricoleur-LML.
According to the CEO, Anu D’Souza, “With the changing priorities around life and work thanks to the pandemic combined with the rapid adoption and growth of digital and technology and new ways of working, marketing professionals are grappling with unprecedented change. Individuals today are seeking to work in ways more aligned with their personal priorities which has resulted in significant turnover termed as the Great Resignation. Against the backdrop of unprecedented change brought about by the pandemic we have found that even senior professionals need a listening ear and an objective perspective, on how to plan their career progression.’”
