Ogilvy & Mather appoints Mark Sinnock Regional Planning Director for APAC

Award-winning planner joins Ogilvy Asia in a move that further strengthens the network’s planning function globally

HONG KONG — Ogilvy & Mather announced today the appointment of multi-award winning Planning Director, Mark Sinnock, to the role of Regional Planning Director across Asia Pacific. Mark will relocate to Singapore and commence his role on 20th September 2010.

Mark (re) joins Ogilvy & Mather in Asia from supermarket giant ASDA in the United Kingdom, where he was Marketing Director, Strategy, Insight and Advertising. Mark was responsible for leading the strategy and execution of ASDA’s 75M GBP integrated marketing communication budget.

Mark’s career, which began at O&M London as an Account Director on Ford, then saw him switch to planning with stints at leading UK agencies, he was the Planning Partner at TBWA on Playstation Cannes Grand Prix “Mountain”, and more recently the Chief Strategy Officer at Fallon London, the agency behind some of the world’s most celebrated and awarded campaigns of recent years for brands such as Cadbury “Gorilla”, Sony “BRAVIA”, Skoda “Cake”. While at Fallon he also led the ASDA account to help the Wal-Mart subsidiary develop its marketing strategy.

“In the four years I’ve worked with, and for, ASDA I’ve learned a great deal,” says Mark. “However, the chance to rejoin Ogilvy in Asia-Pacific represented an opportunity that I simply could not resist. It’s the chance to learn from and work with the best in the business, and for a brand that I know and love. The strategy that Tim, Paul and the team have developed is really exciting and I’m looking forward to adding value by focusing on developing big ideas for our biggest brands.”

Reporting to Tim Isaac, Chairman and Paul Heath, Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific, Mark will be responsible for overseeing the entire planning function across the breadth of Ogilvy & Mather’s regional operation, which consists of 29 offices in 17 markets.

Mark will also work across key accounts in the region and joins Ogilvy’s Global Planning team, headed by Colin Mitchell in New York, who comments: “Mark brings a fresh style of Planning. He is truly ambidextrous - equally creative in solving business and communications issues. I’m excited to work with him.”

“Mark’s combination of experience is unique,” says Paul Heath, Chief Executive Officer at Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific ”He has a successful track record with both big brand TV, fully integrated campaigns and proven business builders for clients like ASDA in the UK. He works across disciplines, media, platforms and industries and comes to Ogilvy in Asia at a time of great opportunity. We look forward to the contribution he will make to driving our agenda of producing work for our clients that hit the twin peaks of creativity and effectiveness.”

Mark’s hire follows the recruitment of other leading planners and strategists to Ogilvy over the past year, further signifying Ogilvy’s global investment to becoming a leading planning agency brand.

Added Paul Heath; “In what is our steadfast ambition to see Ogilvy recognised as being one of the great global planning agency brands in the business, we’re thrilled to welcome Mark into the fold. Our commitment towards investing in our intellectual capital ensures we’re delivering better strategies for our clients, which leads to a more impactful creative product.”

Most recent appointments include: Russell Davies - appointed as Head of Planning in Ogilvy EMEA; Ben Richards who joined the agency from Naked as Worldwide Head of Strategy & Integration; Rachel Hatton, Head of Planning for Ogilvy London who joins from BBH London; Colin Drummond, Head of Planning for Ogilvy & Mather West from Crispin Porter + Bogusky and Tim Maleeny who joined as Head of Planning in NY from Hal Riney.

Ogilvy also announced last week the appointment of Ronnie McBryde who joins the agency as Worldwide Head of Strategic Support - based in London.

Mark replaces Paul Matheson who leaves the Agency in September for New York.

About Ogilvy & Mather
Ogilvy & Mather (www.ogilvy.com) is one of the largest marketing communications companies in the world. Through its specialty units, the company provides a comprehensive range of marketing services including: advertising; public relations and public affairs; branding and identity; shopper and retail marketing; healthcare communications; direct, digital, promotion, relationship marketing. Ogilvy & Mather services Fortune Global 500 companies as well as local businesses through its network of more than 450 offices in 120 countries. It is a part of the WPP Group (NASDAQ: WPPGY, www.wpp.com). For more information, visit www.ogilvy.com.