Y&R names former Havas MD as Southeast Asia CEO

Andrea Conyard, previously group MD of Havas has taken on the Southeast Asia CEO role at Y&R. The role is newly created and will see Conyard driving business growth in the region, and leading operations across Singapore Malaysia Indonesia,  Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam.He was with Havas for over two years was responsible for all of the Havas Creative Group’s operations in the market. Besides driving the integration and collaboration of all Havas Creative and Media units under the same roof, Conyard was tasked to push the development of fully integrated content platforms across creative, PR and media, utilising the group’s existing Havas Village and regional collaboration concepts. Conyard has over 20 years of agency experience in Singapore.Along with Conyard's hire, Y&R has brought on board Damien Tew who is managing director of Greater Bay Area, China. He will oversee business growth and operations across the area. He will be handling the agency's digital capabiltiies in China. Y&R also promoted Beverly Poh to head of regional accounts and business development. She has been with the company for more than 10 years. She will lead the regional client base.All three will report to Chris Foster, Asia president at Y&R.Last year the agency also hired Chris Foster as president of Y&R Asia to replace Matthew Godfrey, who left the agency in October after seven years to take up the CEO role of Nutrition Innovation.Meanwhile, parent company WPP recently decided to close its Y&R Yangon branch by the end of June 2018, a move which impacts 10 people. The agency said it would supporting the team in finding employment within WPP, and have put a few people in contact with other agencies. Meanwhile, any remaining work for this market will be handled by Y&R’s Vietnam branch moving forward.Most recently, Y&R Indochina CEO Peter Skalberg stepped down from the role which saw him managing all Y&R operations across Indochina, while based in Ho Chi Minh City.Y&R Philippines CEO, Onat Roldan also stepped down from his role. Taking over Roldan is Agnes Almasan-Chuapoco, who was promoted from business unit director to general manager, and Maya Ambalada-Roldan, from business unit director to client service director. Prior to the move, Almasan-Chuapoco and Ambalada-Roldan was with Y&R for 14 years and 23 years respectively.