The International Advertising Association Singapore will support brands navigating the region’s diverse markets, fostering a culture of creativity, inclusivity, and sustainability.
The International Advertising Association (IAA), the global compass for the International marketing and advertising industry,announces its expansion into Singapore. This new chapter caters to the international advertising community, reflecting the regional and global nature of the Singapore member base; with a global outlook and cross-border thinking.
The ambition is to become a critical presence for the industry in the S.E. Asia region; connecting with other global chapters to deliver consistent and internationally focused activity, to provide a truly global reach for members.
Through fostering connections, delivering high-value networking events, and driving meaningful conversations, IAA Singapore aims to establish itself as the leading voice in the region, strengthening cross-border collaboration and providing immediate value for the marketing and advertising community. The organisation’s initial focus areas include encouraging creativity, developing talent, and shining a spotlight on the rise of B2B marketing – to be highlighted at the 2025 Global B2B Brand Summit Singapore, in partnership with NBCUniversal on 11th March 2025.
Bringing over 25 years of interdisciplinary marketing experience, Wendy Walker, CMO & Vice President Marketing ASEAN at Salesforce, will assume the role of President for IAA Singapore, supported by Ed Pank, MD WARC APAC, SVP LIONS Division, as Vice President.
Passionate about creativity and effectiveness, Walker regularly chairs and speaks at major industry events, and participates as a judge in industry award programs such as Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Effies & WARC Effectiveness. Prior to leading brand and marketing efforts at Salesforce, Walker held global and regional positions such as Global Expansion for Intuit, Global Director Brand & Content for iflix, Chief Marketing Officer of Manulife, and Mindshare’s Chief Growth Officer for Asia Pacific.
Supporting Walker, Pank successfully opened WARC’s Asia Pacific office in Singapore in 2011, and has since contributed to the business’s rapid expansion ever since. Assuming the role of SVP Lions Division APAC earlier this year, Pank leads brand initiatives from the Lions Division across the region, including WARC, Contagious, and Cannes Lions. Previously, Pank held various agency positions, including Managing Director of Bates in Singapore. He regularly speaks on creativity and effectiveness at marketing conferences across the region.
The IAA’s Singapore Chapter boasts an impressive list of industry experts on its board, including:
Scott Munday, (Treasurer), Asia Category Head, Partnerships Economist Impact
Catherine Flynn, Director, Agency Development & Marketer Education, APAC Linkedin
Tuomas Peltoniemi, Managing Director SE Asia, Accenture Song
Farrokh Madon, Chief Creative Officer (CCO), Dentsu B2B APAC
Shilpa Sinha, Chief Strategy Officer APAC, McCann Worldgroup
SzeKi Sim, SVP & Head of Brand, Marketing & Communications Singapore Economic Development Board
Rowena Bhagchandani, CEO, BLKJ Havas
Sisca Margaretta, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communication, Visa Asia Pacific
Tawana Murphy Burnett, Head of Top Accounts & Agencies APAC, Meta
Ken Mandel, Regional Managing Director & Head of GrabAds & Enterprise
Paul Hutt, Director SE Asia, Financial Times
“The IAA provides a unique platform that brings together diverse voices from all corners of the marketing and communications world. It’s a place where we can learn from one another, innovate together, and collectively elevate the impact of our work on a global scale,” said Wendy Walker, President, IAA Singapore. “As a true believer in the power of community, I’m looking forward to leading this new Chapter of the IAA and seeing the positive impact we can create as one inclusive body to drive innovation, inspire change, and champion creativity.”
Ed Pank, Vice President, IAA Singapore commented: “Brand growth in Asia is more nuanced now than ever before. As a founding board member of the IAA Singapore Chapter, I’m eager to drive the conversation on how brands can apply creativity in a local context and lean into the cultural diversity of the region, while tapping into the global IAA network of expertise. I look forward to being a part of a diverse community, sharing the latest ideas and best practices to help overcome today’s marketing challenges,while also championing the latest innovative approaches and cross-border thinking.”
Welcoming the new Board, Pradeep Dwivedi, VP & Area Director-APAC at the IAA Global, said: “The IAA Singapore launch celebrates APAC’s rising influence in Advertising, Media and Marketing universe and welcomes visionary leaders on its board who are poised to drive innovation, collaboration, and growth across the region’s advertising landscape.”