Mutant appoints dual-market lead, taps new regional head of social

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Singapore-born agency Mutant Communications (Mutant) has announced a pair of senior leadership moves as it continues to scale regionally, promoting Archana Menon (pictured left) to oversee both its Singapore and Malaysia operations, while appointing Allen Looi (pictured right) as regional head of social across all markets.

Archana, who first joined the independent agency in 2021 as country manager for Malaysia, now takes on an expanded remit across Mutant’s two most established markets. Under her leadership, the Malaysia business saw 26% revenue growth in 2024, driven by new wins and regional mandates for brands such as Marriott, LEGOLAND Malaysia, and PepsiCo.

Don't miss: LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort names new PR agency for Malaysia and Singapore

Her new role will see her focusing on team culture, business growth, and deepening the agency’s integrated communications offering across both markets.

“Mutant has always been a place that values people, bold thinking, and real impact, and I’m incredibly proud to grow alongside the business,” said Archana. “Both markets have strong foundations, ambitious teams, and amazing clients, and I look forward to driving even greater integration, creativity and growth across the region.”

Meanwhile, Mutant is doubling down on social and content with the hire of Allen Looi as its new regional head of social. A familiar name in the industry, Looi has previously led social efforts at IPG Mediabrands, Coca-Cola and most recently Naga DDB Tribal, where he oversaw campaigns for brands such as KFC Malaysia, Prudential and Resorts World Genting as head of social. He was with the creative agency for two years.

At Mutant, Looi will oversee all things social across the agency’s five active markets—Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines—with Vietnam expected to join the fold next year. His mandate includes content creation, social strategy, integrated work across PR, brand and digital, as well as new business and mentorship of the agency’s growing social team.

“Mutant’s dynamic team is constantly pushing the boundaries of branded content, balancing storytelling with commercial success,” said Looi. “I’m excited to continue to build on what’s been achieved and help brands create content flagships that anchor bigger campaigns, with social at the heart, not just as an amplification channel.”

Joseph Barratt, CEO of Mutant, said the dual leadership appointments reflect the agency’s growth trajectory and focus on deeper integration. “Archana has been instrumental in shaping our Malaysia business into a high-performing, people-first team that delivers both creative excellence and commercial results. Her expanded role reflects not just her own growth, but also the momentum we’re seeing across the region,” he said.

“At the same time, bringing Allen on board as our new head of social marks an exciting next chapter as we double down on integrated, content-led campaigns,” Barratt added.

Recently, Mutant was appointed by LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort (LEGOLAND) as its public relations agency for Malaysia and Singapore, following a competitive pitch process involving over 30 agencies, which concluded in May this year. Mutant has been tasked to support campaign ideation, media relations, and regional publicity across both markets, tapping into its media and influencer networks to drive awareness and brand love through a cohesive cross-market communications strategy.

Earlier in June, Mutant officially entered the Philippine market, its fifth Southeast Asian outpost, backed by Dev Atinaja and Luckie Masbad as its co-directors. The duo draws on solid experience within the local industry, tasked with embedding Mutant’s ethos into a market where traditional PR is being rapidly disrupted by influencer economics and shifting media behaviours.

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