SINGAPORE - Shopper360 has hired former Facebook Malaysia client partner Matthew Ho to take on the newly created role of group chief executive officer, the Catalist-listed marketing services company announced on Thursday (Dec 13).
Mr Ho's appointment takes effect from Jan 9, 2019. Before Facebook, he was regional director for Huawei Technologies (Malaysia), and had also held positions at Mediaedge:cia Malaysia, WPP Marketing Communications, Better and Media Two Point Zero.
In his new role, Mr Ho will be responsible for driving the group's growth, including accelerating the development of the company's strategic offerings. He will also enable Shopper360 executive chairman and group managing director Chew Sue Ann to focus on her role as the chairman.
Shopper360 helps its customers with in-store marketing and advertising services, and with the hiring and management of marketers, which the company calls "field force" services. The company also helps to organise events and activies aimed at providing product samples and engaging with end customers.
Ms Chew said in a statement: "We are reviewing several mergers and acquisitions opportunities and joint ventures that will strengthen our digital offering. I look forward to partnering with Mr Ho to seize those opportunities, that will complement our core competencies, and help us build a sustainable business for the future."
The new appointment is the latest leadership change for Shopper360, which has disclosed at least seven key management or board changes since it listed in 2017 and before Mr Ho's hiring.
In November 2017, the company announced that it was appointing James Ling, the husband of Ms Chew, as executive director effective Jan 8, 2018. On Jan 8, Ravichandran K. Moorthy resigned as non-executive, non-independent director to facilitate the reconstitution of the board.
In April 2018, Samuel Chan resigned as regional director of Shopper360 units Pos Ad and ShopperPlus amid investigations into allegations of misconduct. Pos Ad is Shopper360's in-store advertising arm.
That same month, Shopper360 redesignated Janice Cheah Boon Chin as chief executive of Retail Galaxy, which houses conflicting brands in Shopper360's field force segment, from chief executive of Jump Retail, the group's field force management arm.
In June 2018, Shopper360 terminated Ms Cheah, saying that she had not met expectations as CEO of Retail Galaxy, and appointed business development and operations general manager Lee Jun Ling as business lead for Retail Galaxy.
In July 2018, Shopper360 confirmed Ms Lee's role as head of Retail Galaxy. The company also hired Ooi Chee Kee as chief executive of Jump Retail. In August, the firm appointed Tan Swee Seng as CEO of Pos Ad and ShopperPlus, effective September 2018.
