Microsoft bolsters Asian presence

Hong Kong -To signal Microsoft's intent to capture a larger share of the fast-growing Asia Pacific online advertising market, the company has hired Richard Dunmall (pictured) and Kenneth Andrew as general manager and marketing director to head up the Microsoft Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Greater Asia Pacific respectively. 

Dunmall and Andrew will both be based in Hong Kong as a sign of Microsoft's commitment to its digital advertising business in the region.

Dunmall will report directly into Sanjay Chheda, regional vice president, Microsoft consumer and online international, Greater Asia Pacific.  

According to IDC, online advertising in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) will grow at 25.4% per year until 2011.

Chheda said they are seeing a distinctive shift in the market to more consolidated investment with fewer media owners. But in return, the expectation from marketers and agencies is increasing exponentially.

"Both Richard and Kenneth bring long track records of exceeding client expectations,"he added.

Dunmall has relocated from London where he was previously senior vice president and managing director, EMEA for aQuantive. He has also worked on the agency side, as managing director for MindShare Interaction UK and mOne UK, a digital and direct marketing offering set up by MindShare and Ogilvy.

Dunmall said that their goal is to make Microsoft Advertising the most effective and attractive partner for advertisers, agencies and publishers in Asia.

"We're especially excited about the value of our targeting, platform, creative and content opportunities - not only across our own audience via MSN, Windows Live/Windows Live Messenger, but increasingly with other publishers within our network,"he added.

Andrew joins Microsoft Advertising from Greater China, where he helped drive the expansion of Microsoft's online business in that region.

As marketing director, he will be responsible for businesses engagement with advertisers and sales partners across the region.

Andrew said with Asia home to 39% of all Internet users, the addressable audience has now reached a critical mass for advertisers.

"Our team will work tirelessly to demonstrate to marketers and their agencies that Microsoft Advertising offers the best opportunity to tell a holistic story; across a variety of formats and environments, at scale, within specific content environments or even specific targeted audiences,"he added.