It has been a strong start to the year for female creatives in Asia. Mica Dela Rosa has been promoted to creative director at BBDO Guerrero; Nopparath Eksuwancharoen and Thamakorn Ruchakityanon have been promoted to ECDs at Sour Bangkok; and Julia Hou becomes Group ECD at Ogilvy, covering Beijing and South China, joining from vivo.
Julia Hou will partner with Ogilvy Shanghai group ECDs, Wei Fei and Thomas Zhu at Ogilvy, to lead Ogilvy China’s overall creative product and reputation. She has led global creative and brand content development at vivo for the last four years and prior to that, she was ECD at Publicis Advertising Shanghai, overseeing work on clients such as Heineken, OPPO, Johnny Walker and Pepsi. Hou also had a 3-year stint at Ogilvy Beijing between 2016 and 2018. Before moving to Asia, Hou worked in the US at TBWA\Media Arts Lab as well as Nike, where she was involved in the production of high-profile projects for the brand, including itsLondon 2012 Olympics campaign.
Hou’s work has been recognised at the Adobe Design Achievement Awards, GDUSA American Graphic Design Awards, and Effie Awards and has lived in Taiwan, New Zealand, the US, Hong Kong, before moving to Mainland China in 2016.
Hou commented, “As a former Ogilvier, I have a deep understanding of the agency’s exceptional capabilities and unwavering commitment to creative excellence. It is with great pride that I return to Ogilvy, a place where I have had the privilege of building genuine friendships. I look forward to working together with the talented teams in Beijing and South China, leveraging the valuable experience and insights gained over the past four years working on the client side to solve complex challenges for businesses through innovative works, and foster partnerships that lead to shared growth.”
Chris Reitermann, chief executive officer for Ogilvy in APAC and Greater China, added, “For 2024 we have one simple mission: to elevate the work we do for our clients and push the envelope of creativity. I’m thrilled to have Julia join us to help us on this mission. Julia is a very rare talent, having international experience in some of the best agencies in the world, in addition to her in-house experience in Nike and vivo. We can’t wait to have her on board and introduce her to our clients and people.”
Reed Collins, chief creative officer for Ogilvy in APAC, stated, “Very excited to welcome Julia back as I’ve been a big fan of hers for a long time. Having worked on both sides of the aisle now, she brings a unique blend of experience and fresh perspective that will undoubtedly invigorate our creative output across China. Julia is an ambitious leader with a track record of fostering a collaborative environment where ideas thrive, and I am excited to see the impact she will have on our clients’ brands. Together with Thomas and Wei, we are doubling down on our Borderless Creativity promise across China and beyond.”
Mica Dela Rosa joined BBDO Guerrero as a copywriter in 2019 and has worked on some of the agency’s most notable clients such as the Department of Tourism, Cornetto, Chowking, and some award-winning campaigns which includes The Pepsi Can Light Stick and It’s More Fun in the Philippines which won accolades competitions like the Kidlat Awards and Asia-Pacific Tambuli Awards.
Dela Rosa has represented the agency in various competitions, including the Philippine 4A’s Young Lions competition and New Stars 2023. Assessed as one of the network’s promising creative, she was selected as a participant to the London International Awards Creative LIAisons program where she received one-on-one mentorship by some of the world’s leading creative minds.
“BBDO Guerrero is a great place to grow as a creative,” Dela Rosa stated. “I’m very grateful for the trust, and excited to do more fun and meaningful work with our partners.”
David Guerrero, Creative Chairman at BBDO Guerrero, added, “We are proud to see Mica develop her creative confidence over the years. She approaches work with authenticity and a unique perspective. She is a great collaborator and a joy to work with, and she has our full support as she achieves even greater things in her new role.”
Nopparath Eksuwancharoen and Thamakorn Ruchakityanon have been behind many of SOUR Bangkok’s most memorable campaigns that have not only earned national acclaim but also secured international recognition. Their collaborative efforts have contributed to the agency’s accolades, including the Southeast Asia Boutique Agency of the Year for the sixth consecutive year at Campaign’s Agency of the Year awards.
Eksuwancharoen and Ruchakityanon have judged at many award shows including Cannes Lions, The One Show, London International Awards (LIA), Spikes Asia, MAD STARS, Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (ADFEST), and the national Thailand Adman Awards.
SOUR Bangkok recently achieved significant wins, including Southeast Asia Boutique Agency of the Year for the sixth consecutive year at Campaign’s Agency of the Year awards (AOY), Top 3 at Thailand Adman Awards, and the 4th position in Thailand’s Hottest Agencies in the 2023 Campaign Brief Asia Creative Rankings.
Cover image l-r: Julia Hou; Mica Dela Rosa; Nopparath Eksuwancharoen & Thamakorn Ruchakityanon
