TheSmartLocal nabs key talent from ad land to help with growth ambitions

Media publisher, TheSmartLocal (TSL) Media Group, has appointed two new senior hires from the ad industry, as the group looks to accelerate its growth and enhances its suite of services and products. Jonathan Seto joins the team as its chief growth officer while Nicolle Sing has been appointed group director. Both positions are newly created roles. 

Seto comes with nearly 20 years of integrated marketing experience in various independent and network agencies. Prior to joining TSL Media Group, he was the managing director at multi-specialist B2B agency MOI Global. Seto has built teams and delivered campaigns for global brands such as UBS, Prudential, Facebook and Cartier, according to the release. 

“TSL Media Group’s work resonates with me, as I believe hyperlocal, omni-channel content has a huge role to play in today’s media ecosystem. They already have a stellar track record in innovation, and I look forward to enabling their growth and developing more end-to-end creative solutions for our stakeholders, clients and partners across the region,” shared Seto.

At TSL Media Group, Seto will be tasked to drive impactful business development and partnerships as its chief growth officer. He will also work closely with the senior management team to define the growth strategy and product-market fit in every market.

Meanwhile, Sing joins TSL Media Group from global social media influencer agency Goat, where she was part of the team that helped expand the agency’s presence across 13 markets in Asia as its business director. Her experience spans more than a decade across the region, and she has helped manage and grow brands such as HSBC, Porsche, WarnerMedia and Google. Previously, Sing took on directorial roles in leading companies including Jack Morton Worldwide, Freeman and VaynerMedia.

As TSL Media Group’s group director, Sing will oversee its business operations with a remit to optimise its business strategy and enhance its omni-channel offerings.

“It has always been a huge passion of mine to grow business and teams, so being able to steer the success of TSL Media Group, a homegrown media powerhouse, makes me feel very honoured,” said Sing. “I am excited to work with their team of talented creatives and strategists and scale to greater heights with them.”

“The need for the right talents has never been more important than now, as TSL Media Group gears up to sharpen our offerings and enhance our capabilities. Both Sing and Seto are outstanding in the work they do, and adding them to our team will cement our leadership in the industry even further,” said Bryan Choo, CEO of TSL Media Group.

Seto and Sing will both be responsible for all eight countries which TSL Media Group is in, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Korea. They will report to Choo.

TSL Media Group currently supports all the local major agencies, such as Havas Media, Publicis Groupe, Starcom and more, with strategy, content and social amplification needs. 

On the senior management front, TSL Media Group also recently made other key appointments to accelerate the company’s growth. Thomas Teo, formerly of Deloitte Consulting and Changi Travel Services, was appointed as its chief of staff and head of CEO office. Li Sihui, previously from The Ascott Limited and edu-tech pioneer General Assembly, joined as its head of brand comms.

On a separate note, TSL made its first foray into network programming through the launch of mini series Alternate Beginnings. Inspired by Netflix’s Black Mirror series, Alternate Beginnings is supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The four-part mini series takes viewers on a time-tangled journey through three relationship types that are relatable to Singaporeans - the ideal partner, the partner you settled for to avoid hurt and the partner who had a different direction in life.  

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