Dan Mejia on building 'impact headquarter' and the case for influence by design

After more than a decade in top communication roles at H&M and SM Retail, Dan Mejia (pictured) has stepped out of corporate corridors to launch his own consultancy, impact headquarter.

“The decision wasn’t about leaving a great role, but about answering a calling to build a bigger bridge,” Mejia told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. “After orchestrating communications for over a decade at H&M, and then tackling the sheer scale of the largest retail giant here in the Philippines, I saw a gap. The industry’s stuck in transactional communication, and what clients really need is transformative impact.”

For Mejia, who served as regional head of communications and PR for H&M before becoming vice president of PR and media strategy at SM Retail, the move marks a shift from shaping messages for established retail firms to designing integrated influence systems for brands of all sizes. “We know the P&L, we know the chaos of a flagship launch, and we know how to define those ‘blurring lines’ instead of just reacting to them,” he added.

He left SM Retail at the end of July to launch the new consultancy.

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From conductor to architect

The name “impact headquarter” is as deliberate as its mission. “‘impact’ means every single strategy has to move the needle, be it on the sales report or in public trust. ‘headquarter’ is where the best minds converge,” Mejia explained.

He said the firm’s intentionally lowercase name symbolises “humility and passion for growth and learning - in the service of our clients, our craft, our business, and the community we belong to.”

The firm’s philosophy is encapsulated in one line: influence by design. Mejia describes the agency as “founded on global retail discipline and deep local market know-how,” one that doesn’t just craft messages; it engineers outcomes.

Having spent years navigating complex retail ecosystems, Mejia said the biggest mindset shift was moving from corporate conductor to agency architect.

“When you’re in-house, the resources and brand equity are established. As a founder, you take complete, 360-degree responsibility,” he emphasised.

My mandate shifted from safeguarding one titan’s reputation to building a foundational legacy for many high-potential clients.

The transformation, he added, is “from optimising a known quantity to creating infinite possibilities from scratch.”

Four disciplines, one house

Mejia’s background in journalism, publishing, PR, and marketing serves as the foundation for his integrated model.

“For me, these four aren’t separate silos; they’re the four walls of a successful brand development house,” he explained. “Journalism gives us the non-negotiable integrity of a great story. Publishing brings editorial discipline, the ‘how’ and ‘when’ we deliver quality content. PR ensures that content earns credibility and trust. Marketing makes sure it converts.”

At impact headquarter, these principles converge into an operation that treats every client as a “sophisticated brand development” entity - with a story that Mejia said is authoritative, well-cadenced, and optimised for conversion.

Unlike large agency networks, impact headquarter is built around a small, senior-led core. “I’m building it on my own with support from a tight core of heavy-hitters - individuals I’ve personally trusted and collaborated with,” Mejia noted.

His vision is for a “boutique-but-global” structure: a lean consultancy supported by a network of experienced specialists rather than sprawling in-house departments.

The agency’s services revolve around three pillars: strategy and counsel (corporate communications, crisis management, and executive personal branding), narrative engineering (media relations, content creation, and influencer marketing), and performance influence/marketing integration, connecting earned media outcomes to measurable digital performance.

A stealth start with diverse clients

Mejia sees today’s marketing environment as one where the old boundaries between PR, content, and marketing no longer exist.

“The lines haven’t just blurred; they’ve totally collapsed into one single conversation. The consumer doesn’t care if it’s an ad or an article,” he said. The agency’s guiding principle is “narrative fidelity” - ensuring every story remains authentic, engaging, and targeted across platforms.

While staying quiet on names, Mejia said impact headquarter has entered “strategic stealth mode,” working with early clients that include a high-growth insurtech, a transport-tech company, several skincare startups, and a luxury fashion brand seeking to refine its Southeast Asian narrative.

From his years at H&M, Mejia carries a set of principles that still anchor his leadership: “Global agility, hyper-local execution, pace and purpose,” and above all, the discipline to empower specialists, trust the strategy, and never lose grace under pressure.

In five years, he wants impact headquarter to be “the benchmark for integrated strategy in Southeast Asia.”

Our legacy won’t be about awards or trophies; it’ll be about proving that communication is not a burdensome cost centre, but the single most powerful engine for growth and meaningful influence.

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