mCanvas appoints new Philippines country director to drive local growth

Global ad technology company mCanvas has appointed Francis Xavier Peña (pictured) as country director for the Philippines, marking a strategic move to deepen its presence in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital markets.

Peña, who joined the company in March 2026, takes on a newly localised leadership role as mCanvas looks to scale its footprint and strengthen partnerships with agencies and brands in the market.

While mCanvas has been working with advertisers in the Philippines since 2024, the appointment reflects the company’s intent to invest more heavily in on-the-ground leadership as demand for digital solutions accelerates.

Don't miss: mCanvas taps internal leader to helm Malaysia operations

In his new role, Peña will focus on expanding mCanvas’ capabilities across the full marketing funnel, from brand awareness to performance, by leveraging solutions such as interactive connected TV and push notifications. His remit also includes building strategic partnerships and engaging with key players across the digital ecosystem.

He reports to Akshay Nandoskar, senior director for Southeast Asia.

Speaking on the appointment, Peña told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE he is stepping into the role at a pivotal time for the industry, as brands in the Philippines increasingly seek scalable and innovative digital solutions.

“The Philippine digital landscape is hungry for scalable, innovative solutions, and I’m eager to contribute to that momentum,” he said, adding that a strong emphasis on preparation and strategic rigour will underpin his approach to client challenges.

mCanvas’ priorities in the Philippines will centre on advancing mobile-first OEM push notifications through its partnerships with Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi, alongside expanding its interactive CTV offering. The company aims to help brands cut through digital clutter while delivering measurable outcomes.

Peña brings with him experience across the digital advertising ecosystem, having held roles at DoubleVerify, Digital Turbine, Mediadonuts (Twitter) and Innity. This background is expected to support mCanvas’ efforts in navigating evolving client needs and KPIs.

Looking ahead, the company is also placing emphasis on privacy-first innovation, leveraging zero-party data to deliver intent-based insights without relying on invasive tracking. Combined with its OEM targeting capabilities, this approach aims to help brands reach audiences at key touchpoints while maintaining user trust.

“The Philippines is home to a massive wave of digital-first brands that are native to the mobile ecosystem,” Peña said. “Our goal is to ensure these brands have the tools to achieve truly scalable results without compromising on user trust.”

Peña's appointment comes just as mCanvas appointed Tan Lee Wen as its country director for Malaysia, marking a leadership step up as the company looks to deepen its presence in the local digital marketing landscape.

In her new role, Tan will oversee the company’s strategy and growth in the Malaysian market. She stepped into the country director position earlier this year, after spending around two years with the agency as senior client partnership manager and associate director.

Related articles: 
Intrepid Asia names ex-Publicis lead as new regional head of performance marketing
Omnicom Media names new global brand president for OMD 
McCann Singapore names new GM to drive social-first growth