Archetype APAC names new head of strategy and innovation, revamps model

Archetype APAC has appointed Mei Ling Yeow (pictured) as its new head of strategy and innovation, as the communications agency deepens its focus on service innovation and cross-market agility across the APAC region.

The newly created role will see Yeow lead efforts to evolve Archetype’s consulting model, with a focus on future-facing services, AI-forward consulting, and embedding strategic advisory capabilities across regional teams. She will initially oversee Singapore, Australia and Malaysia, while also supporting teams in India and China alongside local market leads.

A key priority for Yeow will be refining Archetype’s responsive resourcing model (RRM), aimed at improving cross-border talent access and collaboration. She will work closely with Liz Weselby, managing director of Australia; Mabel Chiang, managing director of Singapore; and Lee Tiam Siang, managing director of Malaysia.

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On the APAC senior bench, Yeow is joined by Marc Ha, SVP and head of client strategy APAC, who has also taken on an expanded remit to drive service and sector expansion. Ha will also work on evolving the firm’s consulting model to integrate behavioural science into messaging and campaign design.

With over 25 years of consulting and leadership experience, Yeow brings expertise in crisis communications, having advised major organisations across the region. She will lead the development of a regional crisis preparedness and response offering, an area of rising importance for brands navigating geopolitical and reputational risks, according to the agency.

Yeow has previously launched and scaled operations across Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and China, and has helped build internal initiatives such as the Archetype Academy and the firm’s leadership coaching programme.

According to her LinkedIn, Yeow previously served as Archetype’s APAC deputy regional director and managing director for Southeast Asia. Before that, she spent nearly 13 years at Text100, where she held multiple senior roles, including managing director for Southeast Asia, managing director for Greater China, and senior vice president for APAC.

Her appointment signals a broader shift at Archetype towards practical innovation, client-centric strategy and cross-market collaboration, with senior leaders playing a more hands-on role in delivering outcomes.

“This is about momentum. Our service innovation strategy is rooted in practical transformation: deeper consulting, sharper execution, and smarter ways to align our marketing and strategic communications services to business needs. We are focused on unlocking potential and rethinking how we resource and deliver, and by actively realising the power of GenAI workflow adoption level-by-level, client-by-client, we’re creating a system that benefits both clients and our people," said Yeow. 

Yeow’s appointment follows the departure of former APAC regional director Nugent Lee in February this year. In response to his exit, the agency told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE at the time that his role would not be replaced.

“Instead, we're empowering our collective of local leaders across APAC, who will be supported directly by the global management team,” the agency added.

Lee, who first joined the agency in 2016, held the role of APAC regional director for over eight years. He was previously managing director, consulting and strategy APAC at Text100 from 2016 to 2017.

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