Singapore: Edelman has announced two new leadership appointments across Asia Pacific to strengthen its creator marketing capabilities, reinforcing the firm’s broader global investment in creator-led marketing.
The appointments follow the recent elevation of Kenny Gold as Edelman’s first-ever Global Chief Creator Officer and signal the company’s continued focus on scaling integrated creator offerings across markets.
As part of the move, Sushant Vithaldas joins as Head of Creator Marketing, India, based in Mumbai, while Vimlarithan (Rithan) Vijaya takes on the role of Creator Marketing Leader, Southeast Asia, based in Malaysia. Together, they will lead creator-led solutions across the region, integrating creator marketing more closely with social, paid and performance disciplines to deliver culturally relevant and business-focused outcomes for clients.
The appointments come as creator-led engagement continues to gain importance across Asia Pacific, where audiences increasingly rely on creators and communities as trusted sources of influence. Edelman said growing client demand across the region is accelerating the need for locally nuanced creator strategies that deliver credibility, relevance and engagement at scale.
Commenting on the appointments, Kenny Gold, Global Chief Creator Officer, Edelman, said, “At the core of our creator offering is the idea of the ‘Trusted Creator’. In an era where audiences increasingly turn to people and communities they trust, Edelman is uniquely positioned to help brands navigate and deliver in this environment. With Sushant and Rithan, we’re adding deep market expertise that strengthens our ability to promote and protect our clients through engaging, earned-led storytelling—partnering with the most impactful voices across these markets.”
Rakesh Thukral, CEO, Asia Pacific, Edelman, added, “Creators are now central to how influence is earned and sustained, particularly across Asia Pacific where audiences are highly dynamic and culturally diverse. Today, no organisation – whether B2B or B2C – can effectively connect with its audiences without creator partnerships in the mix. These appointments reflect how we are evolving our business to help clients meet that reality, building programmes for them that are worthy of earning their audience’s attention and, more importantly, trust.”
In India, Sushant Vithaldas will lead Edelman’s creator marketing practice and work across multidisciplinary teams to drive growth and expand capabilities. He brings more than 20 years of experience across marketing, digital, content and brand communications, with expertise in creator-led ecosystems and integrated digital strategy.
Prior to joining Edelman, Sushant served at Collective Artists Network, where he led revenue growth and strategic brand partnerships across creator ecosystems and emerging media. Earlier, he played a key role in scaling integrated digital and creative capabilities at Schbang and has also held leadership positions at Landmark Group, Dell and Apple in India.
Speaking on his appointment, Sushant Vithaldas said, “The creator economy is creating new opportunities for brands to engage audiences through culture, community and storytelling. Edelman’s strength at the intersection of earned, integrated communications and trust makes it uniquely positioned to help clients build impactful creator-led programmes, and I’m excited to contribute to this next phase of growth in India.”
For Southeast Asia, Rithan Vijaya will spearhead creator strategy and strengthen Edelman’s capabilities across the region. He brings experience spanning entertainment, digital platforms and creator ecosystems.
Most recently, Rithan led creator strategy at Monks, working on regional and global campaigns for brands including Vaseline and Google. Earlier, he contributed to scaling creator ecosystems at Astro and Rocketfuel Entertainment. Beginning his career as an independent musician, he brings firsthand insight into audience building and cultural relevance.
Commenting on his new role, Rithan Vijaya said, “In Southeast Asia, where audiences are incredibly diverse, success depends on understanding what people genuinely value and trust. Joining Edelman feels like a natural step, given its strong understanding of what it takes to build trust and cultural relevance. There is a strong opportunity to build creator programmes that are not just visible, but credible, meaningful and enduring.”
