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Effie Asia Pacific names Cheryl Goh and Dheeraj Sinha jury heads
Grab and McCann leaders to steer Apac’s top marketing awards in 2026
SINGAPORE: The spotlight at the 2026 Effie Asia Pacific Awards will shine not just on the region’s most effective campaigns, but also on two of its most seasoned marketing leaders. Effie Asia Pacific has appointed Cheryl Goh of Grab and Dheeraj Sinha of McCann India as its first pair of heads of jury, tasking them with leading the charge in judging the year’s most impactful work.
Grab Group head of marketing, sustainability, loyalty and support Cheryl Goh, has been part of the ride-hailing giant’s journey since its early days. As a founding team member, she has helped shape Grab into one of Southeast Asia’s most recognised technology brands. Today, she oversees marketing across the company’s ecosystem, spanning product, communications and growth, while also steering sustainability initiatives and customer experience operations.
Unusually for a global marketing chief, Goh also carries direct commercial responsibility, overseeing the full profit and loss of Grab’s loyalty programmes. It is a rare blend of brand-building finesse and operational rigour. A long-time advocate of marketing effectiveness, she is no stranger to the Effie jury room.
“I am deeply honoured to be appointed as a Head of Jury,” Goh said. “The Effies represent creativity that delivers real impact. In a world shaped by AI, platforms and constantly evolving customer journeys, the balance between imagination and measurable results has never mattered more.”
Joining her is, McCann India chief executive officer and one of the most prominent voices in Indian consumer culture Dheeraj Sinha. Over the years, he has worked with brands including PepsiCo, Uber, Spotify, Amazon, KFC and Mahindra, translating sharp cultural insight into sustained business growth.
Beyond the boardroom, Sinha is an author, podcast host and current president of the Advertising Club of India. A regular speaker at Cannes Lions and frequent juror at global competitions, he brings both creative instinct and strategic discipline to the role.
“The Effies are the gold standard for effectiveness,” Sinha said. “We are at a moment where creativity, data and technology are converging to unlock new dimensions of growth. I look forward to celebrating ideas that inspire and prove the commercial power of creativity.”
The Apac Effie Awards pride themselves on recognising work that works. Their rigorous judging process has earned them a reputation as the global benchmark for marketing effectiveness.
With the final entry deadline set for 9 March, the clock is ticking for brands hoping to impress this year’s jury. Under the guidance of Goh and Sinha, only ideas that marry imagination with impact are likely to take home the silverware.
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Continental Tires appoints Nevin Aslan-Özkan as Managing Director for India
Finance leader to drive growth in passenger vehicle segment from 6 April 2026.
MUMBAI: Continental Tires has put a fresh pair of tyres on its Indian leadership and this time, they’re rolling with strong financial horsepower. The premium tyre manufacturer has announced the appointment of Nevin Aslan-Özkan as managing director of Continental Tires India, effective 6 April 2026. She succeeds Samir Gupta, who stepped down on 5 April 2026 for personal reasons.
Nevin joined Continental in 2017 and has held key leadership roles in Mergers & Acquisitions and Strategy & Business Development across EMEA and APAC. Since May 2025, she has served as Chief Financial Officer for Continental Tires India, shaping the company’s financial strategy and performance.
In her new role, she will lead the company’s growth agenda in India, with a sharp focus on accelerating its presence in the passenger vehicle segment. This appointment comes at a pivotal time, following the recent launch of the CrossContact A/T² tyre, the first market globally to receive this product and a €10.5 million (approximately Rs 100 crore) investment to strengthen Continental’s position, particularly in the ultra-high-performance (UUHP) segment.
Nevin Aslan-Özkan said, “India continues to be a strong focus market for Continental Tires. Guided by our ‘In the Market, For the Market’ approach, we will continue to deliver products and technologies designed for Indian roads.”
Samir Gupta, who joined Continental in 2012 and served as managing director since January 2022, was recognised for his significant contribution to expanding the brand’s footprint in India.
Continental is a leading global tyre manufacturer founded in 1871. The company generated sales of €19.7 billion in 2025 and employs around 78,000 people across 54 countries. Its Tires group sector, which includes premium car, truck, bus, two-wheel and specialty tyres, recorded sales of €13.8 billion in fiscal 2025 and employs more than 56,000 people worldwide.
With Nevin Aslan-Özkan at the wheel, Continental Tires India is clearly gearing up for a smoother and more aggressive drive in one of the world’s fastest-growing automotive markets. The road ahead looks promising.
