Entropia picks Eduardo Mapa as country head for Philippines expansion

Entropia has expanded into the Philippines, bringing on board Eduardo Mapa Jr. (pictured) as partner and country head of Entropia CBR. Mapa previously ran the strategic consultancy "Castle by the River", and was the CEO of TBWA\\SMP's Digital Arts Network in Manila. He has also done CEO stints at Havas Media in China, India and Manila.In a statement to A+M, founder and senior partner Prashant Kumar said Entropia has always seen the Philippines as a dynamic market that is in "tremendous flux". According to him, the next five years offer that special window in time where businesses can embrace digital transformation to protect their future. "The market is at an inflexion point," Kumar said, adding that Entropia CBR's main competitor "is the future" and that he prefers not to define the agency "by the legacy boxes"."We embrace [the future], yet we must protect our clients from its disruptive power. It’s a love hate relationship. We would like to convey our vision of the future and tell our story as it unfolded in Kuala Lumpur. However, ultimately our work in Philippines must speak for itself," Kumar added.Between its core team in the Philippines and the deputed people from Kuala Lumpur, Entropia CBR has a 12-member founding team assigned to its clients in the Philippines. According to him, Mapa loved Entropia's obsession with the future and the personal joy it took in discovering the new."Mapa shares Entropia’s vision of a legacy free approach to the future of marketing. Towards that, he is determined to build an eclectic team that truly gets what matters to businesses in all this chaos," Kumar said. He added that Mapa brings to the client play an "extraordinary vantage point" that covers data, tech and storytelling, with a keen eye on what will truly work for their business.When asked what Entropia CBR's strategy will be, Kumar said the difference between global and local clients is that while global clients tend to have more system exposure and complex controls, local clients on the other hand, have more freedom and can go deeper in terms of tech and data ecosystem. Kumar is confident that Entropia CBR can operate successfully in both contexts.Mapa said that the agency has taken a path to the future that's "audacious yet reassuring" for businesses. "It has built a service ecosystem with the right culture, structure, processes and tools to connect businesses to the future. And it’s coming in at a perfect time," Mapa said. He added that the venture will uncover new territories in the areas of customer experiences, media engagement and commerce.Among the list of clients that Entropia currently works with include Axiata, Pepsi, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, KFC, Nissan, Petronas and Sime Darby.Read also:Prashant Kumar on Entropia’s hunt for hidden gems and not ‘expensive mediocrity’Merdeka Day reflections: Independent agency heads share their proudest momentsPrashant Kumar takes senior role at experimental marketing firm