Kristine Ong has been appointed CEO of Publicis Media Malaysia, reporting to Ian Loon, Chief Transformation Officer and CEO of Media & Digital at Publicis Groupe Singapore/Southeast Asia.
With over three decades of experience in Malaysia’s media and business sectors, Ong brings extensive expertise and a strong leadership track record. A well-respected industry veteran, she previously served as General Manager of Starcom Malaysia in 2006 and has since held several prominent roles, including Managing Director at Initiative, Chief Strategy and Planning Officer at Astro, and most recently, Chief Client Officer at Mindshare Malaysia. Her return to Publicis Groupe reflects the company’s commitment to further enhancing its leadership.
Under Ong’s guidance, Publicis Media Malaysia is well-positioned to build on its recognition as the #1 Media Agency Group in Malaysia, ranked by RECMA, the agency said adding that “Her strategic vision, combined with a focus on collaboration and innovation, will drive the agency’s continued success and solidify Malaysia’s status as a strategic business hub for Southeast Asia”.
Publicis Media Malaysia additionally announced Sujith Rao’s appointment as Managing Director of Performics Malaysia, effective 2nd January 2025. Sujith has a proven track record in performance marketing and leadership, and he will be responsible for scaling Performics’ capabilities to provide data-driven, commerce-focused solutions for clients.
Since joining Publicis Groupe in 2022, Rao has played a vital role in enhancing the Groupe’s commerce capabilities, the agency said.
“His appointment underscores Publicis Media Malaysia’s commitment to delivering connected growth and cross-border performance marketing solutions, positioning Malaysia as a regional hub for Southeast Asian clients”.
The changes take place as Interim CEO and Advisor, Ranganathan Somanathan, concludes his tenure on December 31, 2024. Ranga joined Publicis Media Malaysia with a mission to maintain stability, nurture leadership, and drive growth. Under his guidance, the agency has achieved remarkable success with a few recent wins.
“Strong leadership has resulted in three years of acceleration to become the largest media agency group in Malaysia,” said Ian Loon, Chief Transformation Officer and CEO, of Media & Digital, Publicis Groupe Singapore/Southeast Asia.
“It is a growing hub for regional clients in specific sectors and a core digital delivery center for many cross-border clients between Malaysia, Singapore, and the rest of Southeast Asia. Kristine and Sujith, along with many established leaders and rising stars in our Malaysia office, have lots to be proud of and excited about. Our client’s growth remains our priority as we look to jointly nurture and shape the Malaysian media and marketing industry with our peers”.