IPG Mediabrands names new lead for Singapore office

IPG Mediabrands has appointed David Haddad (pictured) from UM in Sydney to run the Singapore office as Pat Lim has decided to exit IPG Mediabrands.Haddad has a 14-year career in developing integrated communications platforms for clients and has led teams across investment and strategy portfolios for major national and international clients.Haddad started his career at Zenith Media as a trader on categories such as automotive, FMCG and retail. After three years, he moved to Bellamy Hayden for five years as communications strategist working across FMCG, Pharmaceutical, Finance and Household Appliances. In June 2010, he joined UM as a communications director leading the Microsoft and Panasonic accounts and have since moved into a Group Director role adding the News Ltd account to my group.“It’s been a great five years running the business and we have achieved so much in that time,” said outgoing CEO, Lim. “I welcome Haddad to the business. He will bring a different culture and perspective to the business as it moves into its next growth phase.”Reg Davidson, APAC chief operating officer of IPG Mediabrands, said “Lim has done a great job accelerating our Singapore business during a time of constant transformation, and we are very grateful to her for this. Lim will be leaving the agency in fine shape and we wish her the very best for the future.”Haddad has been general manager of UM Sydney for the past two years and has been a key contributor to some of the agency’s big and recent new business wins, including major beverage marketer Lion, Virgin Mobile and Singaporean-owned telecommunications company Optus.IPG Mediabrands clients in Singapore include Johnson & Johnson, ExxonMobil and Cerebos who work with media agencies UM and Initiative. As well as the two media agencies, IPG Mediabrands Singapore has full access to the integrated skill sets of IPG Mediabrands worldwide, whose resources are well-known to Haddad.He said, “The opportunity to lead the Singapore business is a wonderful opportunity for me. I am delighted to be taking the new role and very keen to meet our clients, agency teams and media partners. To live in Singapore and be part of the continually developing Asian business environment is really exciting.”