R/GA opens office in Singapore, its first in Asia

According to the agency, the office will serve as R/GA’s Asia-Pacific hub and is slated to take on 15 staff members this year. Once the staff is in place, the agency will look to grow its account portfolio in the region with new clients.

Bob Greenberg (pictured), R/GA’s chairman, CEO and global chief creative officer, said the agency established its base in Singapore because it “is a hotbed for ingenuity and innovation”.

MasterCard’s regional headquarters is also in Singapore.

R/GA won Mastercard’s global business last year following a competitive pitch. At the time, Natalie Lockwood, group head of regional marketing for MasterCard in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, said several agencies managed MasterCard’s digital account in Asia-Pacific on a market-by-market basis, including RMG Connect.

She added that the region has never had a digital agency-of-record.

R/GA, which works with other key clients including Nike, Verizon and Nokia, also opened its first South American office in Sao Paolo last month. Its global headquarters is in New York with additional offices in London and San Francisco.

Last month, it was also announced that Greenberg will be the jury co-president for this year's Spikes Asia Festival, along with chairman and chief creative at BBDO North America David Lubars.