Dentsu strengthens Southeast Asia leadership with Yusuke Kagohara appointment
Dentsu has appointed Yusuke Kagohara as Chief Financial Officer, Southeast Asia, marking a deliberate step to strengthen its cluster leadership spine and deepen its strategic, financial discipline, and governance capabilities to support the Southeast Asia business. The appointment is effective immediately and will see Kagohara reporting to dentsu Southeast Asia CEO, Sanjay Bhasin.
Kagohara brings with him a rare blend of corporate and business strategy, all- round finance, and transformation experience, equipping him with the strategic depth and operational precision required to support dentsu Southeast Asia’s next phase of growth.
Most recently, as Group Head of Risks and Controls at dentsu Group Inc., Kagohara led global efforts in internal controls, enterprise risk management, and governance, to strengthen risk culture and support group-wide transformation and remediation initiatives. He previously held CFO and Deputy CFO roles at dentsu Beijing and Dentsu Creative China, leading business transformation and financial governance across large, complex operations.
Sanjay Bhasin, CEO, Southeast Asia, dentsu, said: “We are very clear on where Southeast Asia needs to go next. For us, growth alone is not enough. It has to be growth that is accountable, resilient, and built to last. Yusuke brings exactly the kind of leadership we need at this stage. His experience in strengthening governance, driving transformation, and operating across complex markets will be critical as we continue to evolve how we deliver integrated growth for our clients. This is about building a business that is not just bigger, but foundationally stronger.”
Yusuke Kagohara, Chief Financial Officer, Southeast Asia, dentsu, said: “My journey with dentsu has shown me how different markets evolve and what it takes to sustain growth through that change. No two markets are the same, but the principles of building a strong, trusted business are universal. Southeast Asia stands out for me in that it has both scale and complexity, but also a strong sense of ambition, much like a convergence of diversity, speed, and endless possibilities. I am excited to be part of this next chapter, working with the team to build a business that is grounded in strong fundamentals.”
Kagohara joins a well-established Southeast Asia leadership team helmed by Sanjay Bhasin, CEO, Southeast Asia; Prakash Kamdar, CEO, Clients & Solutions, Southeast Asia; Cliff Anthony, Southeast Asia Operations Director; Pasook Rojanagatanyoo, Southeast Asia HR Leader; MaryAnn Puthussery, Deputy General Counsel APAC, Southeast Asia; and Carol Wee, Communications Director, Southeast Asia & Singapore, underscoring depth of leadership that brings together complementary strengths across the cluster’s strategic, operational, and people agenda.
Formed in 2023, dentsu’s Southeast Asia cluster brings together six diverse markets, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, under a unified, borderless model designed to unlock new routes to growth for the network. Its diversity continues to be a source of strength as it focuses on harnessing synergies across markets while preserving the unique character of each, and in turn creating greater value for clients, deeper opportunities for its people, and stronger competitive capabilities. Building on this foundation, Southeast Asia serves not just as a growth market, but as a hub of innovation and transformation for the network.