Hires & Promotions: TikTok, PayPal, PayU Payments, Hashtag Orange, Somany Impresa Group
Global Marketing Head Jessica Wong exits TikTok
Jessica Wong, the current global head of marketing innovations and development for TikTok and the North America head of category, has resigned from her role.
Joining as the global head of marketing in May 2021, Wong oversaw category and community marketing spanning entertainment, music, sports, and gaming. She played a pivotal role in expanding non-traditional marketing initiatives and spearheaded branded marketing campaigns in collaboration with organisations and influencers, according to a media report.
Wong initiated her career at the University of California and has held positions at Sony Pictures Television International, PromaxBDA, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Geoff Seeley takes on role of Chief Marketing Officer at PayPal
PayPal, the financial technology company, has roped in Geoff Seeley as its chief marketing officer. Formerly overseeing marketing operations at Cash App, a mobile payment service company, Seeley brings a wealth of experience.
He kicked off his career at Vizeum and has worked across various notable entities including Progress Communications, Airlock, Ogilvy Group UK, Ogtogs, Unilever, Pearson, Airbnb, and Afterpay.
Notably, during his tenure at Unilever as the global communications planning director, Seeley played a crucial role in innovating marketing formats, channels, and products. This innovation extended the reach of brands like Dove and Axe, pushing them into new territory and setting a new standard for CPG marketing. At Unilever, Geoff Seeley spearheaded the company's engagements with major platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter. He played a pivotal role in establishing what eventually evolved into The Foundry, Unilever's platform aimed at connecting with start-ups.
During his tenure at Airbnb, Seeley took charge of global responsibilities, managing areas such as media, brand partnerships, marketing data science, analytics, and marketing research, which encompassed segmentation and tracking brand health.
PayU Payments expands Board with addition of five new members
PayU Payments has enhanced its corporate governance and risk management practices by appointing five new members to its board of directors.
Renu Sud Karnad, the resident of the International Union of Housing Finance (IUHF) and former Managing Director of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), has been named Chairperson and Independent Director.
Laurent Le Moal, who transitioned from the role of global PayU CEO in October of the previous year and continued as an advisor, now serves as a non-independent director on the board. Additionally, Jan Bune, previously an independent chairman for the risk advisory committee at PayU, has also been added to the board as a non-independent director.
In the pursuit of strengthening its board, PayU Payments has enlisted Gopika Pant, Managing Partner at Indian Law Partners, and Jairaj Purandare, Founder Chairman of JMP Advisors, as independent directors.
These additions to the board accompany the existing chief executive officer, Anirban Mukherjee, and chief finance officer, Arvind Agarwal, at PayU India.
This strategic expansion of the board coincides with PayU India's internal efforts towards a public listing.
Hashtag Orange names Gaurang Menon as new Regional & Creative Head for West
Hashtag Orange has onboarded Gaurang Menon as the Regional & Creative Head for the West region. In this crucial position, he leads the organisation's initiatives to enhance growth, optimise profitability, and elevate the creative product for the western region.
For Menon, this marks a significant return, as he previously served as the organisation's Creative Chief for nearly three years until 2022. With over 20 years of experience, he has garnered more than 40 awards and has held prominent creative roles at agencies including Quasar-GroupM, BC Web Wise, Madison Digital, and iContract India.
Shashvat Somany to lead Strategy at Somany Impresa Group
Somany Impresa Group, an Indian conglomerate with a diverse business portfolio, has roped in Shashvat Somany as the new Head of Strategy. This strategic decision marks a significant advancement in the Group's expansive plans, encompassing various companies such as AGI Greenpac, Hindware Home Innovation Limited, and Hindware Limited.
In his role, Somany will be instrumental in shaping the group's long-term strategic direction, working closely with business leaders to drive ambitious growth and diversification.
Somany will assume a pivotal role in steering the group's innovation and business expansion initiatives, with a primary focus on leading AGI's global expansion efforts and creating a strategic roadmap for establishing a robust international presence. Additionally, Somany will be responsible for exploring strategic partnerships, fostering innovative collaborations, and assessing potential ventures to enhance the group's standing in the building products and packaging products sector.
Apart from these strategic endeavours, Somany will concentrate on bolstering the capabilities of the data and analytics teams, actively contributing to the Group's ongoing digitalisation initiatives. His key goal is to facilitate a thorough and forward-thinking incorporation of technology throughout the businesses, positioning Somany Impresa Group for success in the digital era.
