JobStreet's parent firm nabs former HOOQ marketer as Asia CMO

JobStreet's and JobsDB's parent company, SEEK Asia, has appointed Jane Cruz-Walker (pictured) as CMO, Asia. She will be responsible for building and evolving the JobStreet and JobDB brands for both the jobseekers’ and employers’ sides of the marketplace across SEEK Asia’s six markets. She will report to Asia CEO Peter Bithos.

Cruz-Walker has more than 20 years of experience in tech, media and telco in both startup and large-scale organisations within Singtel, MediaQuest and PLDT groups. During her time there, she held key leadership roles across marketing, communications, commercial business units, business development and country operations. According to her LinkedIn, she was previously chief digital advisor at Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and VP of marketing at HOOQ.

Before that, Cruz-Walker held marketing positions, leading FMCG brands in the Philippines, Asia Pacific and Latin America for Colgate Palmolive, San Miguel Corporation, and Magnolia-Nestle.

"“In the search for our new CMO, we did a thorough regional and global search for a candidate who brings deep experience as a CMO in the TMT space, and a leader who has built brands from scratch and brought life to legacy brands," Bithos said.

He added that SEEK Asia wanted an individual who has experience managing large scale marketing teams across the region and interacting across large organisations and has demonstrated experience in commercial roles as well. "Cruz-Walker brings all of this in one dynamic package," he added. Bithos, who joined the company last August, was HOOQ's former CEO.

At the same time, REA Group's chief technology officer, Shen Tham, has joined the company in the same capacity overseeing Asia. Shen will be accountable for partnering across the Asia business to shape and deliver a transformed technology strategy and capability in the region. He will report to Lisa Tobin, MD, technology as well as Bithos.

He has over 20 years of experience in various technical and leadership positions across a large diverse domain in financial, banking, insurance, media, and digital. At REA Group, he oversaw its operations in international and Asia markets as chief technology officer. Before that, he was at global investment bank Nomura based in Hong Kong. He also consulted with ThoughtWorks, a global technology consultancy based in Australia and the US.

"We are excited to have Tham joining us as he will be a critical partner in shaping and delivering technology outcomes for our Asia business. He will augment our team with substantial experience in defining technology strategy and engaging a wide range of stakeholders to make things happen, at pace," Bithos said.

Separately, JobStreet worked with Saatchi & Saatchi and UK-based agency Radda for a rebrand last December to inspire candidates and hirers. The rebrand was first piloted in Hong Kong during the second quarter of last year before being rolled out in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines last October. The rebrand hit the shores of Indonesia and Thailand in January 2021. JobStreet's spokesperson told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE previously that it was undertaking an ongoing process of educating and embedding the new brand personality, skin, and tone, among others, in the organisation.

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Former HOOQ CEO Peter Bithos joins JobStreet's parent firm SEEK Asia
JobStreet refreshes brand to be more 'customer-centric and digitally-savvy'