TBWA hires APAC regional strategy director

TBWA has hired Steve Walls as the agency’s ‘disruption master’, taking a regional strategy role in Asia-Pacific.

Walls joins from Publicis Communications Singapore, where he was chief strategy officer looking after Leo Burnett, Saatchi and Publicis. His 25 years in the industry have taken him to the UK, Australia, China, the US and Singapore (where he will be based for TBWA), and he has spent time with agencies including BBH, Ogilvy, JWT and BBDO.

Walls said the move to TBWA is “a dream job, made even better with a ridiculous title”. He will work together with Robin Nayak, chief strategy officer for Singapore and Southeast Asia, in driving strategic planning across APAC.

Ian Pearman, TBWA Asia president, said: “Steve is one of the industry’s most disruptive big thinkers and there’s no better home for his superb talent and fabulous energy.”

Walls has led strategy planning for clients including Johnnie Walker, Ford, JetBlue, Unilever, FWD and Agoda. The news comes just a few weeks after TBWA named Lars Bjørge as executive vice president and head of customer acquisition for Asia.