Richard Fraser, Regional MD for Proximity in Asia, has expanded his regional responsibilities to include the Middle East and Africa. After four years successfully growing the Proximity Network across Asia, he will be charged with leading growth and development of the Network in these strategically important regions.
This promotion comes at a time when Richard has also assumed APCEMA regional client leadership for one of Proximity’s biggest clients, Visa.
Richard is a tenured Digital and CRM leader with experience gained from working in the United States, New Zealand, Canada and throughout Asia. He moved to Singapore in 2008 to assume the role of Regional Managing Director for Proximity Asia, responsible for leading and developing the Network’s capability, talent and growth.
Under Richard’s strong leadership, Proximity Asia has seen robust year on year growth and has expanded its footprint, opening offices in Beijing and Mumbai. Proximity is one of the most awarded Networks in Asia, winning the Platinum Award four years running at the Asia Digital Media Awards (2008-2011). Globally, the Won Report has ranked Proximity Worldwide the No. 1 direct and digital agency network in the world for four consecutive years. The 2012 Gunn Report also listed BBDO Proximity Worldwide the most awarded agency network in Digital.
Richard said of the appointment: “the opportunity to collaborate with our teams in the exciting and rapidly growing Middle East region, coupled with the challenge of expanding the Proximity Network across the African continent is an invigorating one. Digital and Mobile in these markets are primary platforms for activating rich, value driven connections between our Clients Brands and people, and this will be the focus of our energies”.
Chris Thomas, Chairman, Proximity Worldwide, commented: “Richard is a natural leader and a deep specialist in his discipline – a rare combination that benefits our clients and the broader region as a whole. This move emphasizes our view that Asia, Africa and the Middle East, while tremendously diverse, have a number of shared opportunities that can be leveraged – none more so than in digital and CRM. Richard will help our markets exploit those opportunities.”