MullenLowe Group names APAC COO for Unilever

MullenLowe Group has appointed Kanika Mathur as Asia Pacific chief operating officer (COO) for Unilever. In this newly created role, Mathur will be responsible for bridging the MullenLowe Group local teams in APAC, and partnering with local MullenLowe CEO’s to drive an enhanced, integrated offering for Unilever.Based in MullenLowe Group’s new Singapore office, Mathur will report to Vincent Digonnet, APAC CEO MullenLowe Group and Helen Bell, MullenLowe Group’s global COO Unilever.Mathur (pictured) brings experience in brand building, integrated marketing communications and digital transformation in the region, according to MullenLowe Group, a global integrated marketing communications network. Prior to joining MullenLowe Group, she was senior vice president of digital and content marketing at Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing. Before this Mathur set up Publicis Groupe’s digital presence in India, establishing Digitas and Razorfish, as well as building up an over 400-person team.According to the company, Unilever is a key MullenLowe Group global client, and MullenLowe in Singapore is one of the three global development centres for Unilever brands. MullenLowe Singapore leads Lifebuoy, Clear and Closeup globally, and these will continue to be managed by global business directors Vinay Vinayak, Subarna Prabhakar and Sanjai Srivastava respectively.Digonnet added “As we bring our hyperbundled business model to market in Asia, it’s absolutely critical that we have the best expertise in place, not only to unite our global and local capabilities but also bring the knowledge, experience and insight needed to ultimately enable Unilever to succeed in this challenging region.”“Having worked with some of the world’s largest organisations I understand the complexities that come with a brand like Unilever, particularly when it comes to digital marketing and transformation. I believe MullenLowe Group has a unique positioning and skill set to deliver a truly hyperbundled service across creative, social, digital media and content,” Mathur added.Bell said, “With a FMCG giant as complex and dynamic as Unilever, the challenge will always be ensuring that we are fostering a strong and collaborative culture across our local teams and in partnership with global.”“This is something I’ve been passionate about driving across the entire MullenLowe Group and in no place is this more crucial than across Asia Pacific with its fragmented and culturally diverse markets. Having someone with Mathur’s experience and skill set means we can truly execute our vision of a truly global, local strategy for Unilever’s brands in Asia,” she added.