WUNDERMAN THOMPSON - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Regional Leadership Team
- APAC Co - CEO
Audrey is Co-CEO APAC for VML, a role she shares with Yi-Chung Tay.
Prior to taking on this role, Audrey was CEO, APAC for Wunderman Thompson, responsible for leading the creative and strategic growth of business across the APAC region. She joined the network from OCBC Bank, where she was Head, Group Marketing, Global Consumer Financial Services. Previous to that, Audrey was the Executive Director, Media Practice - Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific and the Managing Director of Dentsu Aegis' Group's first global R & D centre, Global Data Innovation Centre, located in Singapore.
Audrey counts her start in the marketing and advertising business from when she joined J. Walter Thompson Singapore in 1992. She credits the firm with building a lifelong foundation in strategy, communications, data, creativity, and a deep-seated fascination with the Asia Pacific region. This combination served her well as she journeyed as a trusted advisor to clients in industries as diverse as consumer goods, banking and finance, technology, travel, tourism, hospitality, and new economy companies, as well as across geographies, for more than three decades.
The digital era beckoned as early as 1998 and she never looked back. As the former global head of Dentsu Aegis Network's first R & D unit, the Global Data Innovation Centre, since 2016, Audrey pioneered the development of proprietary marketing platforms that harnessed machine learning, artificial intelligence, cloud technology and the deep marketing and communications expertise of the Dentsu Group. The centre released a global digital marketing effectiveness system, a world-leading AI marketing knowledge and insights platform, and an automated, machine learning trader in the programmatic advertising space. These platforms made their way to markets such as China, Scandinavia, Mexico, Colombia, Australia, Taiwan, India and Singapore.
Audrey is active in the industry and is currently on the Singapore Tourism Board and was most recently on the board of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore International. She was awarded an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2007 and graduated with a B.A. from National University of Singapore in 1992.
Job Titles:
- Global Chief Communications & Integration Officer
- Media Inquiries
Job Titles:
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
- Global CCO
- Global Chief Creative Officer
Debbi Vandeven is global CCO at VML, delivering contemporary integrated work to clients worldwide, including Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Intel, The Coca-Cola Company and Wendy's. Debbi's leadership helped VML become a top 10 Cannes Global Agency Network in 2022, 2023, and 2024, in addition to garnering Network of the Year from both ANDYs and ADC, Global Agency Network of the Year and Agency of the Year honors from New York Festivals, and landing on Fast Company's 2023 list of Best Workplaces for Innovators. Most recently, VML won Global Network Agency of the Year recognition, and Debbi was named the top CCO of 2024 by The Drum. She also received No. 3 CCO ranking in 2024 by D&AD, and VML received Best of the Best Creative Network and Global Advertising Network of the Year distinction from Campaign US.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Chief Client Officer VML Belgium
- Chief Client Officer VML Belgium / Belgium
Denis is the commercial lead for VML Belgium, focusing on new potential collaborations, new types of business and growth opportunities for the client portfolio.
With over 9000 days of agency experience in client service, strategy, creative and managerial roles he is a strong believer of specializing in generalism. Seeing the bigger picture, zooming out, reframing. Finding solutions for clients by looking where wasn't looked before. He composes and guides multidisciplinary teams in mayor projects and adapts the agency teams to their optimal setup in each phase or challenge ahead.
He was the strategic lead on a global and local myriad of cpg, services, automotive, travel, technology, B2B and retail brands. He consults all mayor clients and teams on how to apply true strategic marketing to the omnichannel CX. In these fields he delivers transformation consultancy and team governance.
Job Titles:
- Chief Strategy Officer VML Belgium
Job Titles:
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
- CEO of North America
Eric oversees VML's North American offices, driving growth and fostering closer collaboration for the region's capabilities and offerings. He also serves as VML's Global Chief Client Officer, reporting to Global CEO, Jon Cook. The dual role ensures a unified approach to client service and growth across VML's North American region and global network.
Eric is known for introducing inventive ways to enable client partners to better navigate the ever-changing world of digital-driven marketing and for his fearless approach to solving business challenges and delivering results for clients. He possesses a unique combination of marketing strategy, creativity, and technology and operations experience to best apply VML's know-how to deliver solutions.
Eric joined VML in 1999. He was pivotal in the continued evolution of VML's capabilities, playing key roles across departments and client teams while providing executive leadership to key strategic accounts across the agency.
In 2007, Eric began serving on VML's Executive Leadership Team, most recently as chief business officer, where he was responsible for the agency's business development practice. He was also responsible for the launch of VML Seattle in 2004 while leading the Microsoft business, and has been integral in VML's inclusion in other Team WPP operations such as Cavalry, which services Coors Light, Coors Banquet and MillerCoors.
Since transitioning into his current role at VML, Eric has been central to expanding the agency's footprint and unifying operations to provide a connected capability focused on serving as the leading strategic partner for the world's most forward-thinking brands.
In his free time, Eric enjoys spending time with his family. He is also an avid baseball fan and enjoys the lifelong challenge of improving his golf game. He is a graduate of the University of Central Missouri and holds a Bachelor of Science in graphic arts technology management.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- CEO & Co - Founder VML Belgium / Belgium
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Member of the Regional Leadership Team
- CEO, EMEA
- EMEA CEO
Ewen Sturgeon is CEO, EMEA of VML, where he oversees strategic growth of the business and operations and drives global consistency and efficiency across our network.
Ewen is a renowned leader with more than 25 years of experience driving innovation and growth across multiple client sectors including commerce, creativity, data and technology. Over the years, he has worked with top-tier clients, where he created the first-ever commerce site for M&S and developed the first Digital Centre of Innovation for Astra Zeneca.
Ewen has previously been Global President of Wunderman Thompson as well as CEO International. Prior to this, he was Chief Operating Officer of Publicis Sapient for their EMEA & APAC regions, where he helped lead the integration of DigitasLBi, Sapient Razorfish and Sapient Consulting across Europe. Before that, he was CEO of DigitasLBi International for four years, where he drove accelerated growth in the business and worked with key clients on transformative ways of working. This included the first Digital Centre of Innovation for Astra Zeneca, bringing together nearly 100 experts across strategy, service design, technology, data, creative and consulting.
Ewen started his career in 1991 by launching one of the first internet agencies, The Presentation Company, which later became Wheel. Recognized as one of UK's leading digital agencies, Wheel was acquired by Lbi in 2005. While at LBi, Ewen played a crucial role in its acquisition by Publicis Groupe in 2013.
Outside of work, Ewen is either running marathons, taking portrait photographs or cooking Middle Eastern food. He also enjoys investing in marketing technology startups, which helps him keep up with the evolving industry.
Job Titles:
- Executive Chairman / Belgium
Job Titles:
- Global Chief Experience Officer
- Global Chief Experience Officer and Global Executive Lead, VML Enterprise Solutions
- Global Executive
As global chief experience officer, Jeff is the visionary behind VML's customer experience (CX) practice. As part of this role, Jeff grows the agency's world-class experience design, commerce, and technology capabilities. Today, the CX practice has grown to include more than 2,000 experts and specialists in CX consulting, product and service innovation, digital ecosystems, data and personalization, technology modernization, CRM, and loyalty program design. The global practice is recognized by Forrester as one of the world's top CX strategy consulting practices, with deep expertise in data, strategy, content, and technology.
Jeff also serves as global executive lead for VML Enterprise Solutions. He is responsible for the growth and leadership of the offering, including global consulting, data, technology, innovation services, companies, and products.
Jeff has spent more than 20 years at VML, shaping many of the most pivotal client engagements through his balanced understanding of consumers, business, and technology. He has diverse experience across clients such as Colgate-Palmolive, The Ford Motor Company, Microsoft, Google, Sherwin Williams, and T-Mobile.
He's been recognized by Kansas City Techweek's Tech 100 and Ingram's "40 under 40," which recognizes emerging leaders in the region. He is also on the boards of advisors for Children's Mercy Hospital, KCNext, and Digital Sandbox KC.
Job Titles:
- Global CEO
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
Jon serves as global CEO of VML, an agency he's been an integral part of for the past 28 years. The merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R was announced in October 2023; the expanded company became operational in January 2024. The unified agency combines world-class creativity with deep expertise in data, marketing technology and platforms. VML - one of the world's largest creative agencies - is a global network of approximately 28,000 individuals across more than 60 markets. Jon is a member of the WPP Executive Committee.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Regional Leadership Team
- LATAM CEO
Juan Pablo Jurado is CEO, LATAM for VML. A strong leader and great team builder, Juan Pablo oversees new business opportunities to drive growth for VML in the region, and is responsible for combining brand experience, customer experience and commerce with world-class creativity.
He believes that active listening, diversity, inclusion and a solid shared culture are the strong pillars that will move any organization forward - a philosophy he's brought to his career and is passionate about continuing at the newly-formed VML.
Juan Pablo was previously CEO for Wunderman Thompson LATAM, a position he took on following his tenure as CEO of Wunderman LATAM, successfully leading Wunderman Thompson to become the largest agency in Latin America.
Prior to these regional leadership roles, Juan Pablo was President for Wunderman Buenos Aires. He joined WPP in 2002 as a result of the merger between Wunderman and Stopromotion, his promotional marketing agency, founded in 1997. Before that he was on the client side as Marketing Director at Adidas.
Juan Pablo holds a degree in Advertising and lives in Buenos Aires with his wife, Carolina. They love to spend time as a family with their three children, Damasia, Rufino and Zoilo. Juan Pablo is passionate about rugby and enjoys seeking out exotic places for fishing trips.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Chief Creative Officer VML Belgium / Belgium
Job Titles:
- Global President
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- CEO, VML Austria / Austria
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director VML Belgium / Belgium
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer / Argentina
Job Titles:
- Member of the Regional Leadership Team
- APAC Co - CEO