Omnicom Media has appointed David McCallen as Chief Strategy Officer for Asia Pacific, effective immediately, with responsibility for strategic work across the region.
McCallen, who relocated to Singapore from Auckland for the role, will shape strategies for clients, partner with markets to localize and operationalize global strategy across APAC, and inspire and grow local strategic teams through coaching and capability development. He reports to Tony Harradine, CEO, Omnicom Media Asia Pacific.
McCallen brings more than 20 years of experience across APAC, Oceania and Europe, spanning agency and client-side roles in CX, creative and media.
He was formerly Asia Pacific Chief Strategy Officer at OMD. During his four-year tenure, OMD’s Asia Pacific network moved from No. 5 to No. 1 in RECMA rankings and remains dominant in the region, according to the release.
Before taking on the regional role, McCallen led strategy at OMD New Zealand for five years. The release said OMD attained the top place in the market for new business, overall billings and award wins during that period, including winning Campaign Asia’s Media Agency of the Year four times in five years and finishing as runner-up for Global Media Agency of the Year.
“David’s appointment reflects our commitment to strategic excellence across the region. His proven ability to elevate strategic thinking and drive transformational outcomes, as demonstrated by OMD’s remarkable rise within APAC, will be instrumental in shaping the future of our business,” said Tony Harradine, CEO, Omnicom Media Asia Pacific.
“David brings the strategic rigour, creative insight, and commercial acumen we need to help our clients navigate an increasingly complex landscape and unlock genuine competitive advantage.”
“It’s a huge honour to take on this role. We’re at a point where the industry needs to rethink what great strategy looks like and build a model fit for the complexity our clients navigate every day. At the same time, APAC continues to be an increasingly important source of growth, innovation, and influence for the global industry. The depth of talent we now have across the region is immense. For me, the exciting part is bringing that talent together, building something genuinely different and proving what this region is capable of.”
