Design Bridge & Partners appoints new APAC chief strategy officer

Design Bridge & Partners (DBP) has appointed Charlie Lowe (pictured) as APAC chief strategy officer (CSO), effective immediately. In his new role, Lowe will lead the agency's strategic vision across the APAC region.

He will be tasked to oversee DBP's strategic capabilities across the region, ensuring world-class delivery fully integrated within the global strategy community. Working in close collaboration with regional leads and the global CSO, he will focus on elevating the agency's strategic offering while spearheading key client projects. His extensive experience in corporate branding, brand transformation, and integrated strategy will be instrumental in shaping the agency's approach to creating meaningful brand interactions, according to a statement seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. 

Lowe's appointment reinforces DBP's commitment to elevating its strategic offering in the APAC region. Under his leadership, the agency looks forward to designing even more powerful brand interactions that motivate and move people, while accelerating its growth trajectory across key markets, added the statement. 

Don't miss: BBH Singapore names new chief strategy officer 

Prior to joining DBP, Lowe was at McCann Worldgroup SEA for four years where helmed the role of CSO and regional strategy director. At McCann Worldgroup, he spearheaded new business wins, securing global and regional campaigns. His strategic direction contributed to McCann Worldgroup being named Integrated Marketing Agency of the Year in 2023. 

His longest stint, according to his LinkedIn, was at Ogilvy where he served the agency for a decade, building an extensive portfolio working across major global hubs including Melbourne, Beijing and New York. 

He first joined Ogilvy as a CRM strategist at OgilvyOne in Melbourne in 2009, before taking on the role of digital strategist at DTDigital in 2011. He returned to Ogilvy in 2011 as a digital strategist based in Beijing, China before climbing up the ranks to associate director, social strategy, IBM emerging markets and a regional strategy director in Singapore. 

Before leaving Ogilvy in 2020, he was its worldwide strategy director, based in New York. 

Throughout his career, Lowe has worked with leading brands such as IBM, VW, Nestlé, British Airways, InterContinental Hotels, and Huawei. 

Commenting on his new role, Lowe stated, “When I started having discussions with DBP about joining the team, everyone I spoke with was not only incredibly talented but also genuinely nice and engaging. Beyond being impressed by their list of exciting clients and work, I thought, ‘I really want to work with these people.’”

 “Lowe isn’t your typical brand strategist. With a background in strategy within communications agencies, he brings a fresh and unique perspective to the team. As clients increasingly seek synergies and seamless brand experiences, the lines between branding and communications are becoming ever more interconnected," said Alexandra Cerruti, APAC managing director of DBP.

"Lowe’s deep passion for brands, combined with his strategic insight, will be invaluable in helping us deliver holistic solutions that truly resonate with our clients. We’re excited to leverage his expertise to drive success and create meaningful brand experiences," added Cerruti. 

Lowe is not the only new CSO on the block. Just last week, BBH Singapore appointed Stéphane Missier as chief strategy officer. He replaces Chris Chalk, who left the agency in December last year.

Within his new role, Missier will lead a team of 12 strategists and work with clients including Samsung, Nike, UOB and Income Insurance. Missier will be working closely with Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer and Sid Tuli, managing director to further grow and elevate the company's global ambitions in Singapore. 

Missier brings two decades of expertise to the agency, having spearheaded award-winning and culturally impactful campaigns for brands such as Nike, Team USA, FanDuel and Bud Light.

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