Ambient Digital Group hands Matt Robinson regional CEO role

Ambient Digital Group has promoted chief operating officer Matt Robinson to the CEO role. Robinson, who joined the company in 2014, will be leading the group’s operations through its offices in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Philippines.The appointment comes following the sale of Ambient Digital Vietnam to Dentsu Aegis Indochine, which saw founder and chairman, Thu Nguyen and former CEO, Andrew Stephens moving to senior roles within DAN Vietnam.Speaking to Marketing, Robinson said the sale of Ambient Digital Vietnam is part of a deliberate long-term strategy and will have “zero impact” on the other markets.“Each Ambient market is set up as a standalone business and each has a unique offer, tailored for its own market and with local management,” he explained. Robinson, who has been leading Ambient in the Indonesia and Philippines for some time, and recently led the expansion of the business to Hong Kong, added: “It is in recognition of this that his promotion is truly merited.”Future plansAs part of his new role, Robinson added that it is currently working with his technology team to ensure the agency is primed to capitalise on new digital developments. Additionally, he will also continue the group’s strategy in hiring talent with the right skill sets, from agency planners and buyers to creatives, influencer marketers, and traders.“We have seen a huge increase in spend on our KOL campaigns in the last twelve months. Connected TV is another opportunity ready to explode. As soon as the content providers offer a free service alongside their ad-free paid offer, we are going to witness a revolution in TV advertising,” he said.In terms of expansion, Robinson will be focusing on growing the company’s new international programmatic business in Hong Kong, where the agency is running multi-market campaigns encompassing China, Australia, Europe and the Middle East.He said: “I look forward to continuing to work closely with our tremendous local leadership as well as creating new opportunities for the group across the region. We have started this process already through our new venture in Hong Kong, which, though in its infancy, already looks very exciting.”