Essence appoints APAC experience lead for data-driven creative innovation

GroupM’s global data and measurement-driven media agency Essence has appointed Magda Wolder (pictured) as head of experience, APAC. Based out of Singapore, she will lead the agency’s creative, content innovation and studio capabilities in the region to create data-driven creative innovation for Essence’s clients.

With over a decade of experience in the media, technology and entertainment industries, Wolder was previously head of creative strategy, EMEA at the agency’s London office. Prior to joining Essence in 2018, she worked as a senior researcher for EMEA at Netflix in the Netherlands, as well as a lead creative strategist and head of customer closeness at Sky in the United Kingdom.

Essence said Wolder’s appointment and addition to the agency’s APAC leadership team will further strengthen its specialist capabilities which include advertising operations, analytics, consulting, data strategy, experience and Strategy, alongside its media services offering which includes media planning, media activation, automation and media technology. The agency envisions that Wolder's team will continue to incubate and develop next-generation, privacy-compliant personalised creative experiences through Essence Global Ventures. Essence Global Ventures is the agency’s Singapore-based innovation, research and development hub which is supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board. 

Wolder said that she was keen to help nurture emerging creative talent and imagination in the APAC region, in addition to her focus to drive personalisation at scale for the clients in APAC. “Our work at Essence demonstrates that data and technology complement a creative idea, and are not the idea itself. Technology and data are merely the tools for our curious and creative minds to help connect brands with people,” she added.

According to Essence, its experience capabilities utilise data science and machine learning to deliver more relevant, meaningful and effective personalised experiences while protecting consumers’ data privacy. It also stated that these services will be commercialised and deployed across APAC and globally via Essence’s network of offices. Some of the work it has done around experience for clients in APAC include Google, Jeep and India-based online tutoring platform Vedantu. 

Monica Bhatia, senior vice president, client partner, APAC and managing director, Singapore at Essence said that Wolder brings impressive brand experience and a deep understanding of Essence’s unified approach to data that would bring creative and media closer together. “We are looking forward to the creative innovation she will bring to media channels and content programmes for our clients in this region,” she added.

T. Gangadhar, CEO, APAC at Essence said it is committed to helping marketers create value in new ways, including through intelligent creative. “With Wolder’s leadership, I am excited about the creative technology and experience products our experience team will continue to deliver through Essence Global Ventures, which will be scaled to help brands across APAC and globally succeed in the new economy,” he said.

Wolder’s appointment follows Essence’s Media Health Check service rolled out earlier in January this year, which aimed to help marketers achieve "effective business outcomes from digital media campaigns by delivering measurable performance improvements over their current baselines".

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