PUMA names new senior director of marketing for SEA

PUMA has appointed Gabriel Yap (pictured) as its new senior director of marketing for Southeast Asia (SEA). Yap, who most recently served as regional senior marketing director at ASICS, revealed his departure on LinkedIn, marking the end of a seven-year stint with the brand.

In his new role at PUMA, Yap is tasked with leading and driving the strategic development, execution, and performance of the brand’s marketing initiatives across SEA. His focus will be on ensuring consistent brand positioning and boosting brand equity across key markets, while aligning with both global direction and local consumer insights.

He will oversee brand marketing efforts in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and will report to Sanjay Roy, managing director for SEA and Oceania (SEAO).

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Yap succeeds Eleanor Wang, who previously helmed the role and had been with PUMA for over 12 years, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Yap's appointment also marks his return to PUMA. Prior to his time at ASICS, Yap held several roles at the sporting brand, including senior head of marketing for SEA, head of marketing for SEA, and marketing manager for Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. He also gained experience at Wingtai Asia and Robert Bosch (SEA).

During his time at ASICS, Yap led a number of campaigns designed to localise and amplify the brand’s identity, including regional pop-ups, the ASICS women’s retreat, the "A squad" community initiative, and the brand’s sponsorship of the 2025 KL Standard Chartered marathon.

In his farewell note, Yap described his time at ASICS as “a journey of purpose, people, and passion”, adding that he was “grateful for the trust, the collaboration, and the belief that we could do things differently—and better.”

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to PUMA for more information.

Yap’s appointment comes on the heels of PUMA’s biggest global campaign to date, "Go wild", which marks a shift in its brand identity and signals a new chapter focused on redefining performance and driving sustainable growth. The campaign encourages consumers to tap into their instinctive energy through sport, part of PUMA’s broader ambition to connect more deeply with audiences worldwide.

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