Ogilvy appoints Richard Brett as Ogilvy PR Asia Pacific President as Emily Poon steps down
Ogilvy has announced Richard Brett’s appointment as President of Ogilvy PR Asia Pacific, in addition to his role as CEO of Ogilvy PR ANZ and Ogilvy Health Australia.
The announcement comes as President of Ogilvy PR Asia Pacific Emily Poon steps away from her role to pursue new ventures after a 17-year career at Ogilvy PR – including five years in her current role.
Brett will take on the role from 1st August and will continue to be based in Sydney. He first joined Ogilvy PR ANZ in 2013, and was appointed to the CEO role in 2018, taking on the additional leadership of Ogilvy Health Australia in 2021. He has more than 25 years’ experience leading communications consultancies and as an in-house communications and marketing leader.
Of the changes, Chris Reitermann, CEO, Ogilvy APAC, says: “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.”
Known for his award-winning campaigns, major client growth, innovative thought leadership initiatives, and for building high performing, people-centric cultures, Brett is widely respected as a visionary leader in the industry. Under his leadership, Ogilvy PR ANZ has grown significantly, becoming Australia’s most awarded large agency. The agency has been awarded six agency of the year gongs over the past three years, and was most recently awarded Silver at Campaign’s Global Campaign PR Agency of the Year, demonstrating Richard’s ability to foster innovation, nurture talent and drive business growth.
Says Brett: “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.”
Says Julianna Richter, Global CEO, Ogilvy PR: “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 says: “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.”
During Poon’s tenure, Ogilvy PR saw significant growth and expanded its PR and Influencer offering in diverse markets, strengthening the network’s coverage across 26 locations in the region. Ogilvy was awarded APAC PR Network of the Year by Campaign for three years running (2021-23), and named PRovoke Media’s Global Digital PR Agency of the Year and APAC Large Consultancy of the Year in 2023 among others. Most recently, Ogilvy PR was the most awarded agency at PR Awards Asia-Pacific 2025. In addition, Ogilvy Singapore’s Vaseline Verified swept the awards at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, winning the coveted Titanium Lion and eight other Lions, including a Grand Prix for Social & Creator, Silver for PR – Social Engagement and Bronze for PR – Community Management.