distillery Singapore announces hires + elevates Simon Hearn to MD APAC and Guilet Libby to CD

The Singapore-based office of global content studio distillery has recently won new business with clients such as eCommerce giant Lazada, whilst also growing its staff with a series of new hires and internal promotions.

The studio, which delivers social-first content through video, design, and copy, has seen its client list grow in the last 12 months, scoring new wins with Sprinklr, Circles.Life and Blazeclan. Most recently they won a competitive pitch to become Lazada’s Social Media Agency for Employer Branding across South East Asia. It is also expanding its capabilities across JAPAC and India with other global tech giants.

The success has resulted in a number of internal promotions, as well as new hires that have broadened the diversity, capabilities, and expertise within the team. Simon Hearn, who moved from Australia to join the company at the start of 2020, has been promoted to Managing Director to continue leading the team in APAC.

“I’ve had the privilege of driving our business forward in APAC since the start of 2020, and I’m really proud of what we have achieved given the challenging state of the world. Our team has remained positive, we’ve hired some great talent from across Southeast Asia, strengthened our creative, strategic, and content capabilities, and had the fortune of winning and working with a great bunch of clients to enhance their comms and content; so it’s been incredibly rewarding all-round” says Hearn.

distillery’s and Hearns performances have this week received industry recognition by being shortlisted for Singapore Independent Agency of the Year, and Southeast Asia Young Business Leader at the 2021 Campaign Asia Agency of the Year Awards.

Guilet Libby has also been promoted to Creative Director, after joining the studio from Dentsu in 2020.

“If you can build a content studio during a global pandemic, you can build a content studio anywhere. The past two years have given all of us a chance to grow in our own ways, and find opportunities in how we approach problems. We don’t want to be the agency that just talks about making a change, we want to be that change,” says Libby.

Earlier this year Czarina Miko Cabuyadao was promoted to Customer Reference Director after impressive work with a growing list of clients across JAPAC in the Customer Success space.

New hires include Sofianna Ng as Head of Editorial; she joins after a stint at Google, and Ashley Patterson has been appointed as Senior Producer.

The studio hopes to continue its growth in APAC, and has committed to promoting brand purpose, and helping companies make a positive social impact. It also launched its Diversity Type initiative in May 2021, a new typeface that promotes D&I in the creative industry.

Pictured above (L-R): Guilet Libby, Miko Cabyudao, Simon Hearn, Sofianna NG, Ashley Patterson