SMG Names Somyot Chairat MD Of MediaVest Thailand

SMG names industry veteran to spearhead second agency brand’s growth and development

Bangkok – Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) has appointed Somyot Chairat as Managing Director for MediaVest Thailand.

With over 20 years of experience in advertising and media communications, Somyot has overseen agency operations, most recently, as Managing Director of Publicis Thailand. Prior, he had managed McCann Worldgroup in Indonesia and Universal McCann Thailand among others.

Throughout his multi-faceted career, Somyot has worked across disciplines including creative, media,   retail, planning, research as well as digital with a host of international and local brands in multiple markets including the aforementioned Indonesia and Thailand plus Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. 

In his new role as Managing Director of MediaVest in Thailand, Somyot will be charged with the operations and development of a thriving 15 man business unit. He will further lead a number of key accounts in MediaVest Thailand including Heineken as well as a growing number of major new local businesses racked up in the past year.

The agency saw incremental growth since 2011 and doubled its client portfolio. Major new business acquisitions include Krungsri Bank, one of Thailand’s largest commercial banks, which was added to MediaVest Thailand’s fold earlier in January this year. Other accounts wins include Thai Oil, Nong Pho and Inbisco.

Somyot will also boost the senior management ranks and leadership of SMG in Thailand, which is headed by Atipol Ithivatana, CEO of SMG Thailand, and Triluj Navamarat, Chairman of VivaKi Thailand.

On Somyot’s appointment, Atipol Ithivatana, CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group Thailand, said: “Somyot’s track record and clout in the industry in Thailand is unrivalled. He will bring to SMG a wealth of experience, and more importantly, the leadership and guidance that MediaVest and the team there needs for the next stage of its development.

I’m excited to see MediaVest Thailand come into its own to become a leading media agency brand here in this market. Our vision for MediaVest Thailand is to provide clients with a distinctive and compelling ‘Experience Planning’ approach to communications, and to define our offering and be competitive in this marketplace. With Somyot on board, we’re in a very strong position to do so.”

On joining MediaVest Thailand, Somyot Chairat, Managing Director, added: “From my time in the industry, I’ve had many opportunities to come across SMG and what its agency brands represent. I’m a firm believer of what MediaVest Thailand stands for and SMG’s ‘Human Experience’ promise and approach around consumers today.

Atipol has put together a brilliant, hungry and fearless team that will excite clients, both current and new, to what a media and communications agency can do. I’m delighted to be leading the charge, and am confident that MediaVest Thailand will excel and expand further.”