Visa names director of experiential marketing, sponsorships and partnerships

Visa has named Celine Ong, former head of brands in culture and partnerships at Diageo, as director of experiential marketing, sponsorships and partnerships for music across the Asia Pacific region.

Visa said Ong's appointment builds on the brand's efforts to engage with an evolving consumer landscape in Asia Pacific.

Ong said she was looking forward to creating experiences that connect people through music and culture.

"I've always believed the best partnerships don't just reach people, they also earn a place in culture," she wrote on LinkedIn. "I'm looking forward to shaping strategic partnerships and experiences that connect people through music and culture, while creating meaningful value and relevance for our clients, partners, and consumers across Asia Pacific."

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Ong joins Visa after four years at Diageo, where she served as head of brands in culture and partnerships across Southeast Asia. In that role, she led culture-led brand partnerships spanning music, fashion, art, luxury and cuisine across brands including Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

This included spearheading Don Julio 1942's Southeast Asia partnership with Korean DJ Peggy Gou, which later evolved into a global collaboration, as well as leading talent partnerships for the global launch of Johnnie Walker Vault. 

Prior to Diageo, Ong spent more than six years at Edrington, where she held several global and regional marketing leadership roles across The Macallan, Highland Park and The Glenrothes. Before that, she spent four years at the Singapore Tourism Board, leading initiatives across the country's entertainment, nightlife and tourism sectors.

Her appointment follows Visa's recent hire of former TikTok executive Danny Irsyaduddin Osman as head of media, social, data, content and digital innovation, responsible for unifying Visa's media, social, content and data strategies across Asia Pacific.

The appointment formed part of Visa's broader push to strengthen its social-first and data-driven marketing capabilities as it looks to build deeper connections with the next generation of consumers across the region.

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