Neil Stewart has been appointed as CEO, Maxus Asia Pacific, effective immediately. The announcement was made by Kelly Clark, worldwide CEO of Maxus, which is part of GroupM’s family of media agencies that includes MediaCom, Mediaedge:cia, and Mindshare.
Stewart is currently marketing director for Motorola’s Mobile Devices division in Asia. He assumes his new responsibilities on February 23, 2008 and will report to Clark and will be based in Singapore.
Clark noted that Asia Pacific was the largest and fastest-growing region in the Maxus network. “We have a strong position in the region, and we have an ambitious plan for growth. The appointment of a regional CEO is a key part of that plan, and we are delighted that Neil is joining us. He’s a smart, ambitious and creative leader who will help us grow,” Clark said.
On his new appointment, Stewart said, “The real innovation in the communications industry is coming from media agencies – both in the breadth of offer, and in the delivery of accountability that clients demand in these difficult times. I am delighted to be joining GroupM, the clear leader in the Asia Pacific region, and to be leading Maxus, one of the best kept secrets within the group.”
Mark Patterson, CEO, GroupM Asia Pacific, commented, “Neil has a compelling vision, and he is exactly the type of leader we wanted for Maxus in the region. He takes on a group of talented people who will no doubt respond positively to his enthusiasm, experience and energy. Maxus will continue to grow our market share with the support and power of GroupM. Our ambition is in no way reduced by the current economic conditions.”
Prior to his current role, Stewart was managing director of One Barrack Street in Sydney, an agency created to deliver total communications solutions to Vodafone Australia. Before that, he had held senior management roles with Motorola and Ogilvy in Australia and Asia.