MONICA BHATIA IS MANAGING DIRECTOR, ESSENCE SINGAPORE

GroupM’s global data and measurement media agency, Essence, has announced the appointment of Monica Bhatia as its Managing Director for Singapore. Bhatia will, however, continue to lead Essence’s Google Business as Senior Vice-President, Client Partner, APAC.

As part of Essence’s APAC leadership team, Bhatia will report to APAC CEO T. Gangadhar aka Gangs. He core will include driving client-centric innovation in data, analytics and technology, as well as expanding business for Essence in Singapore. Alongside, Bhatia will continue to lead the agency’s Google business across the region while reporting to Dave Marsey, Essence’s President, Global Client Partner.

Congratulating Bhatia on taking up the new role, Gangadhar said, “Monica’s impressive experience in marketing, advertising and media, and her deep understanding of Essence’s business, clients and culture, make her the best person to lead our Singapore office. A believer in true partnerships as well as diversity and inclusion in the workplace, she constantly strives to nurture strong collaborative relationships with both clients and employees.”

Looking forward to working with Bhatia, Gangadhar further said, “I am really excited about our next stage of growth with Monica’s steady strategic leadership and direction, as she continues to champion our clients, work, and people in Singapore.”

About her appointment, Bhatia said, “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead the highly talented, entrepreneurial and dedicated team at Essence in Singapore. Having worked closely with the team over the past three years, I am truly proud of the industry-leading capabilities we have built-in data, analytics and technology.”

Referring to the future-focused ideology for company’s expansion, Bhatia added, “Brands today are increasingly looking to achieve transformational data-driven growth, and I am looking forward to leveraging our unified approach to media and creativity to deliver breakthrough work for our local, regional and global clients in Singapore.”

Bhatia, who has over 17 years of frontline experience in the world of media, communication and marketing, began her career as Brand Service Manager at Lowe (India) Pvt Ltd. She has worked across sectors in companies, such as Godrej Group, India, Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd., and L’Oreal India. In 2010, she joined as Strategic Planning Director at Lowe Vietnam besides working at Maxus for a few years. In 2017, she joined Essence.

An IAB Board Member for Southeast Asia and India, Bhatia’s core expertise lies in marketing, brand building, consumer goods marketing, creative agency strategy, and communication and has had multi-cultural marketing and digital media experience across emerging markets in Asia.