AD Agencies
Havas’ Prose on Pixels lands Joris Knetsch to lead APAC charge
MUMBAI: Havas’ AI-fuelled content-at-scale agency Prose on Pixels is ready to switch on the afterburners in Asia Pacific, appointing Joris Knetsch as executive vice-president for the region, effective May 2025.
Based in Singapore, Joris brings over a decade of experience in creative production and digital scaling—including an eight-year stint building Media Monks’ footprint in APAC. His hiring signals a sharp push by Havas to deepen its converged strategy, which unites media, creativity and content under one turbocharged roof.
“With close to a decade of experience in the APAC region, Joris brings invaluable market knowledge and established relationships that will help us accelerate our growth. His deep expertise in technology-driven production makes him the ideal person to lead Prose on Pixels in Asia Pacific,” said Prose on Pixels global CEO Steve Netzley.
The agency—relaunched globally in June 2023—is stitching together Havas’ production capabilities into a single AI-powered powerhouse, already making waves with tech-led hiring and global expansion. Joris will now spearhead the Asian playbook alongside regional leaders including Rowena Bhagchandani, CEO, BLKJ Havas and Pankaj Nayak, CEO, Havas Media Network Singapore.
“Bringing Joris on board helps our business in two ways”, said Havas India group CEO Havas India, south east & north Asia Rana Barua. “First, to officially launch and scale Prose on Pixels in Asia with the right leadership in place. Second, it reinforces our Converged strategy across the region – anchored in media, creative and production – by fostering collaboration and empowering our teams to elevate the value we deliver to our clients.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining Prose on Pixels at such an exciting time,” said Joris Knetsch. “It was immediately clear that the global Prose on Pixels team sees things the same way I do—great content production isn’t just a support act, it’s central to bringing bold creativity and smart media to life in today’s marketing landscape. While many claim to be integrated, with Prose on Pixels launching in Asia, Havas is actually doing it: activating its converged strategy and bringing creative, media, and production together to truly work as one across the region. Asia Pacific is an incredibly dynamic region, and I look forward to helping brands transform how they create and distribute content with speed, efficiency, and impact.”
With its creative-meets-code model, Havas is betting big on Asia—and Joris Knetsch is now in the pilot’s seat.
AD Agencies
Omnicom Advertising names Ellie Brocklehurst chief growth and marketing officer for Asia
The former TBWA Asia marketing chief returns from maternity leave with an ambitious mandate to make Omnicom the most sought-after network in the region.
NEW YORK: Ellie Brocklehurst is back, and she is not easing herself in gently. Omnicom Advertising has appointed Brocklehurst as chief growth and marketing officer for Asia, a role that puts her in charge of growth and marketing initiatives across the network’s three flagship agencies: BBDO, McCann and TBWA. Her brief is to sharpen existing capabilities while identifying new avenues for expansion across the region.
Brocklehurst brings a career that has moved steadily upward through some of the industry’s most recognisable names. She began at Source Music before moving through Exposure Public Relations and Marketing, Taurus Marketing and LEWIS Global Communications. She then joined BBDO Worldwide as communications manager for the Asia group, rising to regional communications director for Asia. At Wunderman Thompson, she served as head of marketing and PR for APAC before being elevated to APAC growth marketing lead, where she worked closely with local management teams on client expansion strategies, new business acquisition and brand building. Most recently, she served as chief marketing officer at TBWA\Asia.
Brocklehurst, who is returning from maternity leave, was characteristically direct about what she intends to do with the opportunity. “Transitioning back from my final maternity leave is a significant personal milestone,” she said. “While it’s the end of one era at home, it marks the beginning of an ambitious new one professionally.” She left little doubt about the scale of her ambition. “I’m stepping into this role with a clear mission: to make Omnicom Advertising the most awarded, revered, and sought-after agency network in Asia.”
In a region where agency networks are jostling hard for creative dominance and client loyalty, that is a target worth watching. Brocklehurst has spent two decades learning exactly how this game is played. Now she gets to set the rules.
