SINGAPORE, MAY 9, 2024 – Vero today announced strategic leadership appointments and staff promotions that advance the firm’s communications consulting ambitions in Southeast Asia.
Vero appointed Supreeyaporn Sihawong as Chief People Officer, Sasha Alwani as Chief Strategy Officer, Thanpitcha Suksawad as Chief Finance Officer, and Umaporn Whittaker-Thompson as Chief Commercial Officer to fortify the management team and complement the leadership of current Chief Executive Officer Brian Griffin and Chief Operating Officer Raphael Lachkar.
Sihawong joined Vero in 2021, managing HR as the team in Thailand grew from 50 to more than 120 team members today.
With over 13 years of communications consulting experience across Asia, Alwani has played a pivotal role in expanding Vero’s client portfolio and significantly enhancing the capabilities of the firm’s strategy team across the region.
Suksawad, who joined Vero from a Big Four accounting firm, brings 10 years of finance experience to the business and supports Vero’s growth ambitions via M&A.
Whittaker-Thompson, a 10-year Vero veteran who leads commercial, brand communications, and influencer marketing initiatives, will be instrumental in forging new top-tier partnerships between Vero and the region’s leading content creators and business organizations.
Two Vero team members will take on additional roles: Lin Kuek, who serves as Managing Director for Vero in Singapore, is taking the lead in the firm’s new Sustainability Communications Advisory, while Pham Hoai Anh is helping expand Vero’s Vietnam presence to Hanoi, where she will focus on enhancing brand partnerships.
“Today, more than ever before, we have a clear view of what Vero can achieve in the industry as a consultancy, employer, and member of society. Supreeyaporn, Sasha, Thanpitcha, and Umaporn have each been critical in shaping this vision, and in their new roles they will help us execute it,” said Raphael Lachkar, Chief Operating Officer.
“Reflecting on where we were, where we are, and where we’re going – the journey has been rapid, the growth has been substantial, and the vision we share is inspiring. I’m excited to take everything I’ve learned over the years to deliver both a creative and strategic lens in my new role for our clients, our leadership, and most importantly, our people, to implement our collective aspirations,” says Sasha Alwani, Chief Strategy Officer.
“Aligning with Vero’s core values, we embark on this new chapter with a firm commitment to innovation and excellence in delivering communication solutions across the region. In my new role, I’m excited to harness my expertise and vision to pioneer solutions that empower our teams, enhance client experience, and forge impactful partnerships that will help elevate Southeast Asia’s influencer marketing landscape,” says Umaporn Whittaker-Thompson, Chief Commercial Officer.
Vero has appointed a total of 28 team members across its offices in the region. The firm currently has 260 PR and creative experts in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar.
Here’s the complete list of promotions:
Regional Promotions
- Sasha Alwani – Chief Strategy Officer
- Umaporn Whittaker-Thompson – Chief Commercial Officer
- Thanpitcha Suksawad – Chief Finance Officer
- Supreeyaporn Sihawong – Chief People Officer
- Lin Kuek – Head of Sustainability Communications
- Charmaine de Lazo – Head of Regional Content
- Peerapong Pongpakdee – Data Analytics Manager
Local Promotions
Indonesia
- Christien Margareth R.G.G. – Senior Communications Executive, Indonesia
- Claudia Pusung – KOLs and Influencer Relations Manager, Indonesia
- Hallira Husin Haddad – Account Manager, Indonesia
Philippines
- Bernadette Torres – Senior Copywriter, Philippines
- Erica Siochi – IMC Senior Account Executive, Philippines
- Kim Lourdes Donato – IMC Account Executive, Philippines
- Rae Cay – IMC Senior Account Manager, Philippines
Thailand
- Rachat Ploungphet – Senior KOLs and Influencer Manager, Thailand
- Patchama Himlap – KOLs and Influencer Manager, Thailand
- Weesuda Chaiprasertkun – Account Manager, Thailand
- Setthawut Chaiyarak – Senior KOLs and Influencer Specialist, Thailand
- Praifar Prankhun– Senior Account Executive, Thailand
- Noppaset Ponchan – Senior Account Executive, Thailand
- Praew Ruengsawan – Account Manager, Thailand
- Purich Kuvinichkul – Assistant Consultant for Vero Advocacy, Thailand
- Nitikarn Ladasathean – Media Relations Director, Thailand
Vietnam
- Aiden Nguyen – Creative Lead for Design, Vietnam
- Ngo Hong Phuc – Senior VP for Strategy and Client Services, Vietnam
- Nguyen Hong Nhung – Creative Lead for Copy, Vietnam
- Nguyen Thi Trinh – VP for PR Consulting, Vietnam
- Pham Hoai Anh – Head of Client Solutions, Vietnam
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ABOUT VERO
Vero is an award-winning strategic communications consultancy, advising some of Southeast Asia’s leading brands, corporations, and non-profit organizations.
B Corp certified across all its offices, and a signatory of the Clean Creative pledge since 2022, Vero adopts a forward-thinking approach to public relations and marketing, striving to enact meaningful change for clients and society at large.
Vero’s 260 people team of PR, social, digital, influence, and creative professionals in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and its partnership in Myanmar, brings unique perspectives to earned media, prioritizing digital technology, creative storytelling, and stakeholder engagement in championing stories of progress. This includes the newest units: Vero IQ, which digs deep for data-driven insights, VeroXperience, dedicated to redefining brand events in the region and Vero Advocacy, a government-engagement focused strategic advisory.
Listed among the Global Top 250 Agency Ranking by PRovoke Media and winner of numerous Southeast Asia Consultancy of the Year awards, Vero designs integrated marketing and communications strategies that resonate within and across this vibrant region’s digital ecosystems and fast-growing economies.
Visit Vero at https://vero-asean.com/