Valerie Madon joins VMLY&R as top Asia creative

Just over two months after leaving Havas Group, Valerie Madon is joining VMLY&R as chief creative officer for Asia, based in Singapore.

Reporting into VMLY&R's APAC co-CEO Tripti Lochan and global chief creative officer Debbi Vandeven, Madon will join the agency's Global Creative Council to lead its vision across Asia.  

This summer, Madon left Havas Group where she had been serving as chief creative officer for Southeast Asia and chairwoman of Havas Group Singapore. Her departure was followed months later by the exit of Havas APAC chief Mike Amour along with a reshuffling of reporting lines, with key Asian markets like China, India and Australia reporting directly to London. 

At the time, Havas stated she had left to pursue other opportunities. Madon runs her own Singapore-based ice cream parlour Licktionary, alongside husband, Farrokh Madon, who also works in creative advertising.

“Truly creative work is the only reason I came back to the agency-world and I’m extremely inspired by VMLY&R, which embodies the way that agencies of today need to think," Madon said in a release.

"While many agencies may be known for creativity, very few are pushing the envelope when it comes to embracing media to deliver creative experiences - rather than just communications, and few are truly ready for what’s needed today and in the future."

Madon joined Havas in June 2017 from Facebook’s creative shop, where she was Southeast Asia head, before which she was chief creative officer at J Walter Thompson Singapore. She was also appointed the ambassador for Spikes Asia’s inaugural female accelerator program See It Be It last month, to guide and inspire young female talent in advertising.

Over the past 23 years Madon has worked for blue chip brands like Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, Hewlett-Packard, Singapore Airlines, HSBC, Burger King, Shell, Changi Airport and Visa.

“Valerie is the kind of inspiring leader that defines agencies of the future," said Lochan. "Her deep digital experience knowledge within the overarching brand umbrella is the perfect spot where VMLY&R operates. She is a perfect fit for us."  

In a release, the agency said Madon will be tasked with improving creative capabilities in VMLY&R's Asia network, building off the agency's global successes like the multiple Grand Prix's won at Cannes Lions this year for Wendy’s Keeping Fortnite Fresh, and Gazeta.pl’s The Last Issue.