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OgilvyOne Asia names Jerry Smith as regional president
MUMBAI: Digital and direct marketing agency OgilvyOne Asia-Pacific has appointed Jerry Smith as its new regional president. Smith will be based in Hong Kong and will also join the OgilvyOne Worldwide Board. His new role takes effect immediately.
In his new role, Smith will oversee the OgilvyOne operations in 12 local markets across the region. This will involve oversight of all aspects of the OgilvyOne business, which includes a consulting division, digital labs (in Singapore and China), the digital media operation, Neo@Ogilvy, which will continue to be run by Neo@Ogilvy‘s Asia president Susana Tsui and a large number of digital and direct marketing specialists.
The current OgilvyOne Asia president Kent Wertime will now take on the role of chairman of OgilvyOne Asia while he continues his current responsibilities as Ogilvy Japan president.
Smith is a long-term Ogilvy Asia veteran, having worked previously as COO of OgilvyOne Asia and more recently as chairman of Ogilvy‘s Red Works operations.
Said Ogilvy & Mather Asia chairman Tim Isaac, “Jerry has made many significant contributions to Ogilvy over several years. He is both an Ogilvy thought leader as well as an important commercial leader of our business.”
Ogilvy & Mather Asia CEO Paul Heath noted that Smith is the perfect pick to lead OgilvyOne Asia since the group‘s growth will come from ongoing expansion of its capabilities in new areas of the business. “Jerry has a mission to ensure that OgilvyOne extends its market leadership position at a time when clients are increasing their digital marketing commitments – and need informed agency guidance on the most effective ways to connect with Asian consumers.”
Smith‘s appointment comes at an important time for OgilvyOne Asia. The regional network continues to expand its operations in the region in-line with the growth of digital marketing, analytics, and offshoring demands from clients.
Kent Wertime commented, “I am happy that Jerry is taking on leadership of the OgilvyOne Asia, as I know he will drive the next chapter of OgilvyOne‘s growth in Asia. In the coming several months, OgilvyOne will continue to have more news to share as it expands in areas such as digital consulting, digital production, mobile, and other areas of client need.”
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Kate Rouch steps down as OpenAI Chief Marketing Officer
Marketing leader prioritises health after late-stage breast cancer diagnosis.
MUMBAI: When the toughest battle moves from the boardroom to the personal front, even the sharpest minds know it’s time to step back and focus on winning the most important fight of all. Kate Rouch, chief marketing officer at OpenAI, has announced she is stepping down from her role to focus on recovery following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer.
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Rouch revealed she was diagnosed around a year and a half ago, shortly after taking on the CMO position. Despite undergoing intensive treatment, she continued to lead the company’s marketing function through what she described as one of the most challenging periods of her career.
She explained that while she remained deeply committed to her role and team, she had reached a point where prioritising her health and recovery had become essential. Rouch called the decision difficult, noting it required acknowledging personal limits and shifting priorities. She reflected that the experience had reshaped her understanding of courage not always about pushing harder, but sometimes about stepping back to focus on long-term wellbeing, family and sustainability.
Rouch expressed gratitude to her team and colleagues for their support. She mentioned that Gary will step in to help lead the function and recruit a successor. She plans to support the transition and remains open to returning in a different capacity in the future, depending on her health.
Prior to joining OpenAI, Rouch served as the first chief marketing officer at Coinbase and spent over a decade at Meta, where she was vice president and global head of brand and product marketing.
She also thanked well-wishers for their messages and shared that stories from fellow survivors had a meaningful impact during her treatment journey.
In the high-stakes world of tech marketing, Kate Rouch has always been known for her strategic brilliance. Now, she is showing a different kind of strength, one that reminds us that even the most driven leaders sometimes need to pause, heal, and come back stronger when the time is right. Wishing her a full and steady recovery.
