Singapore: Omnicom Media (OM), an Omnicom Connected Capability, has appointed David McCallen as Chief Strategy Officer, Asia Pacific, effective immediately.
In his new role, McCallen will guide strategic excellence across the region, drive fresh thinking and innovation in client solutions, and support the next phase of growth for OM Asia Pacific.
The appointment comes as OM establishes Strategy as a core discipline within its global operating model. The company aims to bring together strategic talent across the region to combine human ingenuity, evidence-based research, cultural understanding and OM’s connected capabilities to help clients navigate a complex marketplace and drive transformational growth.
Relocating from Auckland to Singapore for the role, McCallen will develop strategies for clients, work with markets to localise and operationalise global strategy across APAC, and support the development of local strategic teams through coaching and capability building. He will report to Tony Harradine, CEO, OM Asia Pacific.
McCallen brings more than 20 years of experience across APAC, Oceania and Europe, spanning agency and client-side roles in customer experience, creative and media. He has worked on strategies that connect data, creativity and media to deliver measurable business outcomes.
Before taking up his new role, McCallen served as Asia Pacific Chief Strategy Officer at OMD. During his four-year tenure, OMD’s Asia Pacific network moved from #5 to #1 in RECMA rankings and has continued to hold the top position in the region.
During the period, OMD was also named APAC Media Network of the Year at Campaign Asia’s Agency of the Year Awards for two consecutive years and won APAC Digital Innovation Network of the Year in 2025.
Prior to his regional role, McCallen led strategy at OMD New Zealand for five years, during which the agency reached the top position in the market for new business, overall billings and award wins. OMD New Zealand was named Campaign Asia’s Media Agency of the Year four times in five years and was runner-up for Global Media Agency of the Year.
Commenting on the appointment, Tony Harradine, CEO, OM Asia Pacific, said, “David’s appointment reflects our commitment to strategic excellence across the region. His proven ability to elevate strategic thinking and drive transformational outcomes, as demonstrated by OMD’s remarkable rise within APAC, will be instrumental in shaping the future of our business. David brings the strategic rigour, creative insight, and commercial acumen we need to help our clients navigate an increasingly complex landscape and unlock genuine competitive advantage.”
David added, “It’s a huge honour to take on this role. We’re at a point where the industry needs to rethink what great strategy looks like and build a model fit for the complexity our clients navigate every day. At the same time, APAC continues to be an increasingly important source of growth, innovation, and influence for the global industry. The depth of talent we now have across the region is immense. For me, the exciting part is bringing that talent together, building something genuinely different and proving what this region is capable of.”
