Iris CEO to relocate to Asia-Pacific
Iris global CEO and co-founder Ian Millner is to head up the marketing agency’s operations in the Asia-Pacific region from this summer.
Millner will be based in Iris’s Sydney, Singapore and Shangai offices.
He will remain involved in all aspects of global client business, working closely with clients such as Sony-Ericsson, Barclaycard, Shell, Hertz and Adidas.
The relocation reflects the agency’s increasing focus on the rapid-growth markets of India, China, Australia and South-East Asia.
Iris launched in the region in 2006 and now has six offices across the APAC area.
Millner says: “The mature agency markets in the US and Europe are still coming back to life. It is possible that these markets will lose influence to the newer, more dynamic marketing markets that are more open to risk, innovation and integration.”
The move follows the announcement that Iris has created regional management teams for China, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Paul Bainsfair will continue to lead European operations as regional CEO, David King will lead the new China region, Stewart Shanley, joint global CEO and co-founder will focus on the Americas and Josh Thomson, former CEO of Iris Concise will focus on Asia-Pacific.
Millner says: “We need to have our leadership closer to what is valuable: our people, our clients, and our opportunity.”
Millner founded Iris with business partner Stewart Shanley in 1999.
