Asia Pacific Effie Awards 2024 announces Diageo’s Josephine Tan and McCann Worldgroup’s Nick Handel as Heads of Jury

Effie Asia Pacific has named Josephine Tan, VP, APAC Digital Hub at Diageo, and Nick Handel, President of McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia and Managing Director of MRM Asia Pacific, as Heads of Jury for the APAC Effie Awards 2024.

They will lead the jury in upholding the high standards of marketing effectiveness excellence that the Effie Awards stand for. Both experienced jurors, they return to lead the jury in affirming only the most effective works in the region.

An accomplished marketer, Tan has been spearheading digital strategy and operational excellence with proven commercial impact across the Asia Pacific region since starting her career during the first dotcom boom of the 1990s.

Currently, she helms the APAC Digital Hub at Diageo after holding several global roles at McDonald’s, where she led the delivery and adoption of digital capabilities across media, commerce, and consumer engagement to drive incremental business value. Prior to that, Tan headed up eCommerce/Digital for clients such as P&G and Dell at MediaCom APAC (now EssenceMediacom), and managed various aspects of digital business in North Asia with CNET Networks and an e-commerce startup.

Tan also serves on the Asia Advisory Board for the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), with a focus on championing the regional agenda for the industry and showcasing the excellent work in Asia on the world stage. She is also an advocate for gender-equal opportunities with her work as part of the Singapore Women in Tech Chapter Executive Committee.

Tan said: “As marketers, our mission transcends creativity to foster lasting consumer engagement and drive business impact. In an ever-evolving marketing landscape, the Effie Awards stand as a testament to the enduring pursuit of effectiveness amidst complexity. As Head of Jury, I’m honoured to uphold the standard of excellence and guide the recognition of impactful work that shapes the future of marketing.”

Handel is an integrated marketing professional with a particular specialization in digital transformation and data-driven marketing. He has over 25 years of experience gained from some of the world’s leading creative, digital and CRM agencies in Europe, Australasia and the Asia Pacific region.

In his 13 years with McCann Worldgroup, Handel has made significant contributions towards the agency’s accolades and achievements. Notably, McCann Worldgroup has since been named Campaign Asia’s Integrated Agency of The Year, Southeast Asia, on 8 separate occasions.

Prior to joining McCann Worldgroup, Handel was the regional director of digital for Leo Burnett across Asia Pacific, and a Board Account Director at Saatchi & Saatchi, London. His experience spans a wide range of industries and marketing disciplines, and includes clients such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, L’Oreal, Mastercard, Microsoft and Cisco.

Handel said: “In a sea of award shows, the Effies continue to stand out as a high-water mark in the marketing communications industry and a true test of marketing excellence. As a frequent juror, the Effie case studies have always been a source of inspiration. As a Head of Jury, I’m delighted to be able to contribute further to this prestigious show, and can’t wait to play my part in helping to select and celebrate the most meaningful and the most impactful work that this region has to offer.”

Jurors will be revealed progressively in the coming weeks. View the current line-up at www.apaceffie.com/competition/2024-jury, and visit www.apaceffie.com to keep up with the latest competition updates.