Publicis Groupe welcomes back Huw Gildon as Chief Strategy Officer in Vietnam

Publicis Groupe Vietnam has appointed Huw Gildon as its new Chief Strategy Officer. He brings 25 years of international and APAC experience to one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic markets.

The move is a homecoming for Gildon, who previously served as Executive Vice President and Global Planning Director for Samsung at Leo’s Chicago headquarters, winning a Cannes Titanium Lion and Gold Lion for the brand along with countless accolades – even helping to shape Leo’s iconic HumanKind philosophy.

In 2015, he moved to Hong Kong, most recently as Chief Strategy Officer for Edelman APAC. He now returns to the Groupe in Vietnam, where he will drive the strategic firepower across its leading agency brands.

“I am honestly thrilled to be coming back to Publicis Groupe – a priority market for many CMOs owing to its growth, dynamism, and massive creative potential, as well as its incredible portfolio of local brands,” says Gildon. “The business world is more complex than it’s ever been, and as a result, creativity has never been more valuable. Diverse teams working within an integrated ‘Power of One’ model can solve the most complex business problems – I believe this is a source of huge and distinct value for Publicis Groupe Vietnam.”

Kate Bayona-Garcia, CEO of Publicis Groupe Vietnam, added: “Together with our existing strategy teams and creative leaders, Huw will ensure that our thinking for clients is of the highest order, inspiring groundbreaking – and effective – creative ideas. He will also collaborate with our media and PR experts to engineer an integrated and holistic approach to problem solving. As a voice of truth, integrity and rigour, we can’t wait to make magic together.”

Gildon is a respected industry thought leader whose work has been awarded at a wide mix of shows, from EFFIES to Sabre and Lions, reflecting the diversity of his thinking and integrated approach to problem solving.

Publicis Groupe Vietnam has enjoyed record growth over the past two years by advancing new client models, which strive to set the industry benchmark for marketing transformation excellence.

The appointment is effective immediately.