Ogilvy names Richard Brett President of PR Asia Pacific as Emily Poon steps down

New Delhi: Ogilvy has announced the appointment of Richard Brett as President of Ogilvy PR Asia Pacific. He will take on the role from 1 August 2025, in addition to his existing positions as CEO of Ogilvy PR ANZ and Ogilvy Health Australia. Brett will continue to be based in Sydney.

The announcement follows the decision by Emily Poon, current President of Ogilvy PR Asia Pacific, to step down and pursue new opportunities after a 17-year tenure with the company, including five years in her current role.

Brett joined Ogilvy PR ANZ in 2013 and was appointed CEO in 2018. In 2021, he took on additional responsibility for Ogilvy Health Australia. He has over 25 years’ experience in communications and marketing, both in consultancies and in-house roles.

Commenting on the transition, Chris Reitermann, CEO, Ogilvy APAC, said, “I’d first like to thank Emily’s huge contribution to Ogilvy PR over the past 17 years which have been invaluable. Emily came to us in the beginning of the year with her desire to take a break and plan for the next chapter of her career. During her tenure, Emily has been a driving force behind Ogilvy PR’s strength and evolution in the region. Her leadership and dedication have shaped not only our agency’s success and culture but also the careers of many who worked with her. We wish her all the best in her next adventures. As a planned succession, we are excited to have Richard, who has been leading a world-class PR operation in Australia and New Zealand, to lead Ogilvy PR Asia Pacific into our next phase of growth. We are always delighted when our capable internal talent can step up into larger leadership roles.”

Brett said, “I’m honoured to step into this role and build upon the momentum Emily and our Asia and Australia teams have established. Ogilvy PR’s legacy is built on a people-first culture, bold creativity and cutting-edge innovations, and I’m excited to lead our talented teams into the future – both within Australia and New Zealand, and now the broader region.

“Continuing my leadership positions as CEO of Ogilvy PR ANZ and Ogilvy Health Australia in addition to my new role as President of Ogilvy PR Asia Pacific will also allow me to spend more time with all the talented teams across the business, providing an opportunity to foster even greater collaboration throughout the region.”

Julianna Richter, Global CEO, Ogilvy PR, said, “Richard’s strategic brilliance and passion for integrated, earned-first creativity make him the perfect fit to guide Ogilvy PR forward in the region. We are confident he will elevate our capabilities in APAC and inspire our team to continue achieving great things. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Emily for her charismatic leadership, she will be greatly missed.”

Reflecting on her time at Ogilvy, Poon said, “My past 17 years at Ogilvy have been truly transformative and enriching on so many levels. It has also been my privilege leading Ogilvy PR in APAC for the past five years. Ogilvy is more than a workplace, it is a community where I found lifelong learnings and lasting bonds in shared purpose. While I’m excited for new horizons ahead, my heart remains with friends at Ogilvy. Richard is an extremely talented and values-driven leader, I couldn’t be happier with him taking on the role. I will be cheering him and our exceptional team on as they soar to even greater heights.”