EssenceMediacom names new managing director for HK

EssenceMediacom, GroupM’s newest media agency that combines Essence and MediaCom, has appointed Silas Ho (pictured) as managing director in Hong Kong. Ho will be reporting to both EssenceMediacom APAC CEO, Rupert McPetrie, and GroupM Hong Kong CEO, Alice Chow.

In his new position, Ho will draw the roadmap for the new agency in the market. The promotion reflects EssenceMediacom’s breakthrough ambition that is underpinned by its commitment to continuous learning, to help its people grow and maximise their potential, according to the release.

Prior to the new role, Ho was head of digital of the agency. Ho began his career as an integrated planner, and evolved into a digital specialist in data, digital technology and performance marketing.

Ho said, “It is my honour to lead the EssenceMediacom Hong Kong office and serve the employees. It is time to change the way we see and handle advertising and marketing, as the way to effective communications is evolving rapidly every day.”

He also said that the agency aims to help marketers build a comprehensive data ecosystem to facilitate business decisions and communicate more effectively with their audiences. “Also leveraging Essence’s industry-leading know-how, the leadership team and I are committed to bringing breakthrough thinking and services to our clients with a data and analytics-led approach,” he added.

Ho also said that nurturing the agency’s talent pool is a key priority, “I believe EssenceMediacom provides the best environment for our people to perform and shine. It is going to be an amazing journey for everyone as we make our mark in the new communications economy,” he added.

Commenting on the appointments, McPetrie said, “At EssenceMediacom, our people are the heart of our breakthrough mission, and we are committed to building an agency that supports employees and creates opportunity for all. Our culture of continuous learning means our people are always growing and pushing the boundaries of what is possible for our clients.”

With such strong homegrown talent and capabilities, he is confident that EssenceMediacom Hong Kong will create and deliver the marketing breakthroughs that brands need to grow and succeed, and set a transformative pace in the industry.

Don't miss: EssenceMediacom names new managing partner

Furthermore, Anthony Lau is also promoted to managing partner in Hong Kong. Chow said, “Ho and Lau are two of the brightest stars in GroupM. They epitomise how modern agency leadership should be – hungry for new ideas with an eagerness to achieve the impossible with their respective expertise. Their ability to uncover opportunities not seen by many will enable them to elevate EssenceMediacom to a totally new stage.”

As a true embracer of a people-first culture, Chow is confident that EssenceMediacom will become the place where the best talent will want to work at. “I am looking forward to partnering with the leaders at EssenceMediacom to further strengthen GroupM Hong Kong’s leadership in the market,” she added.

Related articles:

EssenceMediacom names Benjamin Wei as CEO for China
WPP merges Essence with MediaCom to form EssenceMediacom