Seamus Higgins, former executive creative director of Host/Havas has been hired by R/GA to lead its creative as it grows in APAC. He will take up the role officially in April, assuming overarching creative leadership of the agency’s Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, and Melbourne offices. Higgins replaces NBob Mackintosh, who left his position as regional VP, executive creative director in January.

Higgins was recently ranked #2 most awarded creative ECD in the world by The Big Won (sharing the spot with his Host/Havas co-ECD last year, Stu Turner). He is also included in Ad-Age’s 2018 Creative All-Stars list. Higgins joings R/GA with more than 20 years of industry experience across three continents. He has been behind campaigns that have won nearly every major award during his career, including ten D&AD Pencils – two of the Black, three Cannes Lions Grand Prix – including one Titanium, and two Grand Clios. While he was an ECD at Host/Havas, the agency won the Spikes Asia Agency of the Year award, and was ranked #7 ranking in the Cannes Lions 2018 Global Creativity Report. He was also was co-ECD on Palau Pledge, the ad that starred at 2018’s major award shows.

Tuomas Peltoniemi, EVP managing director, APAC at R/GA commented, “Seamus has built his career championing ideas that often don’t feel like advertising, and ensuring uncompromising craft when it comes to their delivery. We’re excited to welcome him to R/GA and to a role which speaks to his talent and passion for driving change, as well as our growth and the opportunities for transformation we’re seeing here.”

Higgins added, “APAC is a hugely dynamic region where anything is possible, and R/GA is perfectly poised to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation here. I can’t wait to get going with this incredibly talented team.”

R/GA has also made two promotions to amp up its regional creative leadership. Australia ECD, Robert Chalmers becomes ECD – head of experience design, APAC, to develop the agency’s XD capability and growing teams across the five offices. R/GA Tokyo ECD, Niklas Lilja becomes ECD – head of stories, APAC, heading up the development and expansion of the region’s creative teams.

Sean Lyons, global CEO, R/GA, commented, “We are growing at speed in APAC, opening two new offices in as many years, a host of new business wins and organic growth from long-standing relationships, and hitting our stride creatively.

“The seamless and extraordinary collaboration between our people in the region is a differentiator sought out by clients, and something the teams in APAC already do so well. By bringing in a talent the calibre of Seamus, and combining his talents with Rob, Niklas, and other regional creative leads, APAC is poised to grow even further.”