Edelman appoints new SEA creator marketing lead

Edelman has appointed Vimlarithan Vijaya (pictured) as creator marketing leader for Southeast Asia, reinforcing its investment in creator-led marketing capabilities across the region.

Based in Malaysia, Vijaya will lead creator strategy across Southeast Asia, helping clients navigate the increasingly influential creator economy through integrated creator, social, paid and performance marketing solutions.

The appointment comes as part of a broader expansion of Edelman's creator marketing capabilities in Asia Pacific. Alongside Vijaya's appointment, the agency has also named Sushant Vithaldas as head of creator marketing for India.

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According to Edelman, the new hires follow the recent appointment of its first global chief creator officer, Kenny Gold, and reflect the firm's ongoing commitment to scaling creator-led marketing offerings worldwide.

In his new role, Vijaya will focus on developing creator-led strategies across Southeast Asia, where brands are increasingly turning to creators to drive cultural relevance, credibility and engagement.

He joins Edelman from Monks, where he led creator strategy for regional and global campaigns for brands including Vaseline and Google. Prior to that, he played a role in growing creator ecosystems at Astro and Rocketfuel Entertainment.

Vijaya also brings a creator's perspective to the role, having started his career as an independent musician before moving into entertainment, digital platforms and creator marketing.

The appointment comes as creator marketing continues to gain prominence across Asia Pacific, with brands increasingly viewing creators as trusted sources of influence and a key channel for connecting with audiences.

Edelman said growing client demand across the region is driving the need for more localised creator-led approaches that can deliver both relevance and business impact at scale.

“At the core of our creator offering is the idea of the ‘Trusted Creator’. In an era where audiences increasingly turn to people and communities they trust, Edelman is uniquely positioned to help brands navigate and deliver in this environment,” said Gold.

He added, “With Vijaya and Vithaldas, we’re adding deep market expertise that strengthens our ability to promote and protect our clients through engaging, earned-led storytelling, partnering with the most impactful voices across these markets.”

In tandem, said Rakesh Thukral, CEO, Asia Pacific, Edelman said, "Creators are now central to how influence is earned and sustained, particularly across APAC where audiences are highly dynamic and culturally diverse. Today, no organisation – whether B2B or B2C – can effectively connect with its audiences without creator partnerships in the mix."

He added that the appointments reflect Edelman's efforts to evolve its business in line with changing audience behaviours, helping clients develop programmes that can earn both attention and trust.

On his appointment, Vijaya said, "In Southeast Asia, where audiences are incredibly diverse, success depends on understanding what people genuinely value and trust. Joining Edelman feels like a natural step, given its strong understanding of what it takes to build trust and cultural relevance. There is a strong opportunity to build creator programmes that are not just visible, but credible, meaningful and enduring.”

The appointment comes as Edelman continues to invest in specialised expertise across Southeast Asia. Earlier this year, the agency bolstered its public and government affairs capabilities with the appointment of Wai Leong Tang as head of public and government affairs for Southeast Asia.

Based in Singapore, Tang joined from H/Advisors, where he served as head of public affairs for Asia. In the role, he works with Edelman teams across markets including Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia to help clients navigate government engagement, regulatory shifts and evolving stakeholder expectations.

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