WFA opens Asia office in Singapore

The decision WFA's commitment to Asia-Pacific, a region that has become critical to its global members' aspirations, as well as the home turf for a fast-emerging roster of large regional and global brands

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | October 17, 2012

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) has opened its first office in Asia. Director of Communications Will Gilroy will relocate from Brussels to Singapore to give the organisation its first permanent presence in a region of increasing importance to global brand owners.

The decision to open an Asia office reflects WFA's commitment to Asia-Pacific, a region that has become critical to its existing global members' growth aspirations, as well as the home turf for a fast-emerging roster of large regional and global brands. It will also enable the organisation to work more closely with its national advertiser associations in APAC to help them deliver for their members.

WFA first held meetings of APAC national advertiser associations in 2004, launched bespoke Asian Media & Marketing Network in 2009 and a marketing sourcing group for the region a year later. The annual Global Marketer Week has previously been held in Tokyo, Seoul and, more recently in 2011, in Beijing. The 2012 Global Advertising Summit was held in Singapore in June.

Gilroy has worked at WFA for more than ten years, handling both public affairs and communications. In particular, he has played a key role in developing self-regulatory responses to challenges set by the World Health Organisation around food marketing as well as launching the EU Pledge scheme to limit advertising to children following pressure from European regulators. Before WFA, he worked as a TV and press journalist in France, Spain and the UK, including for The Times in London.

Stephan Loerke, Managing Director of WFA, said, “Will has been an incredibly important part of the team here in Brussels. As our first permanent member of staff to be based in Asia, we're confident he will prove a great asset to both existing and prospective members by helping to demonstrate the value that global brands can get from working together on key priority issues.”

WFA represents 90 per cent of global marketing communications spend – roughly US$700 billion per annum – through a unique, global network of the world's biggest markets and biggest marketers.

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