Talent & Tech Asia Summit 2024
human resources online

Suite Talk: Andrew Thomas, Ogilvy PR

Andrew Thomas is no stranger at Ogilvy having worked with the company for a decade. Recently appointed the president of Ogilvy PR’s Southeast Asian and Indian operations, he talks about his journey so far and his favourite memories of Singapore.

How have you gotten to where you are now at Ogilvy?Very much if you look in business, it is about the ability to be able to bring teams of people who have the right knowledge together in a collaborative way. In my role now, I look at the successes in this business, and it’s always been about running the business units.

It hasn’t been so much about attempting to know that I know everything – it’s knowing I can provide value, and where I can go to bring other people in to put that team together.

That’s an enlightened view of leadership. How would you describe your leadership style?It depends how stressed I am! One of the things that just amazes me is the frustration of people who will struggle in silence versus knowing when they need to reach out. It’s a real strength to reach out and bring the right people in.

For me, it is all about staying focused on what I want us to achieve and what the company needs to achieve, and then going out and discovering the path of least resistance to that.

SabrinaZolkifi_May2014_andrewthomas3

And what are you most excited about to be working on at the moment?What’s always very interesting is how we are able to work – we’re thinking about ways to work that go beyond geography. We’re looking at bringing the smartest people together in the most efficient way, and recognising those people will work together as a team.

Follow us on Telegram and on Instagram @humanresourcesonline for all the latest HR and manpower news from around the region!

Related topics

Free newsletter

Get the daily lowdown on Asia's top Human Resources stories.

We break down the big and messy topics of the day so you're updated on the most important developments in Asia's Human Resources development – for free.

subscribe now open in new window