GoBear bolsters APAC marketing team

Comparison site GoBear has made several appointments within its brand and business development teams in the Asia Pacific region. This includes the appointment of Jose Kasijo (pictured left) who joins as brand director, GoBear Malaysia marketing head Amelia Lim (pictured centre) as head of communications and Alex Suesserott (pictured right) joins GoBear as client services director.According to a press statement, this builds on GoBear’s commitment to be Asia’s top online marketplace for financial comparison.In his new role as brand director, Kasijo will helm the brand team and be responsible for transforming the brand strategy while based in Singapore. This comes as GoBear looks to expand its reach to more countries, in a bid to grow its user base. Kasijo is not new to the GoBear, having worked on the development of brand when he was strategic lead at The Secret Little Agency around three years ago.Prior to the appointment, Kasijo was strategic planning director at Publicis Communications. He boasts over a decade of entrepreneurial and marketing experience, which saw him take charge of strategy and client management of brands under P&G, Unilever, Nikon, and the Singapore Economic Development Board.Building the brand team is also Amelia Lim, who takes on the role as head of communications. Prior to the appointment, Lim was GoBear Malaysia’s head of marketing. According to the company, she was pivotal in the launch of GoBear Malaysia in May 2016. She was also responsible for the launch of the Bear Wisdom Radio Campaign for 2016/2017.In her new role, Lim will continue to be based Malaysia, and will oversee and implement effective PR and communications strategies. She will also work towards building relationships in order to raise the profile of GoBear with clients, investors and the public. With 18 years of working experience, Lim brings multi-industry experience and a strong track record in consumer entertainment and lifestyle marketing in Singapore and Malaysia, according the press statement.Meanwhile, Suesserott joins GoBear as client services director and will be based in the Thailand office. He will lead the business development team and head the company’s partner relations and services. This is with an overall responsibility for sales and partner community growth in the region. According to GoBear, Suesserott is a technology sales veteran of 25 years and passionate about disruptive technologies and innovative business approaches.“The appointment of these talented individuals is the outcome of our fast growing footprint across the region and our ambitious growth plan into next year. We are confident that they will not only strengthen our regional team but also continue to build our brand and communicate our strong product offerings to our users, clients and investors," Andre Hesselink, CEO and founder for GoBear, said.“The prospect of returning to a brand that I had a hand in creating was very exciting. It brings a certain perspective on what was originally conceived and how we will need to respond to the many needs of users across Asia Pacific,” Kasijo said.“In the fast moving digital age where PR tends to be overlooked, GoBear places great emphasis to balance branding and PR strategies so as to ensure a wider awareness in all segments of the business. I am looking forward to roll out effective Communication campaigns to ensure GoBear remains at the top of mind,” Lim said.“We’re witnessing the beginnings of how people in Southeast Asia radically transform the way they look for and buy the products that best fit their personal finance and insurance needs. At GoBear, we believe we have a leading role to play in helping both consumers and providers establish new ways to find and deliver value,” Suesserott said.