Volkswagen Brand China appoints new communications lead

Archetype has introduced VISTA, an integrated consulting framework designed to help organisations improve how they are identified, represented, and recommended by AI systems.

The framework brings together strategy, communications, AI, data, and analytics across five areas: Visibility, Identification, Signals, Trust and Attribution. It aligns earned, owned, and executive communications with measurement to strengthen brand credibility and connect communications activity with business outcomes.

To support the expansion of the offering, Archetype APAC has elevated Mei Ling Yeow (pictured middle) to Executive Vice President, APAC Head of Strategy & Innovation.

She will lead Archetype APAC’s strategy and innovation agenda, with a focus on building the agency’s AI visibility consulting capabilities, deepening its cross-market advisory offer, and helping clients connect business strategy, communications and technology into integrated programmes with measurable outcomes.

“Most of the conversations I’m having with clients right now are about planning the road ahead and how to integrate efforts to move the visibility measures,” Mei Ling said.

“Nobody has AI visibility fully cracked yet. There’s no established playbook, and that’s the honest state of things right now: chaotic, but urgent. What we’ve found is that having a consulting framework that acknowledges this and yet embraces testing and validation is critical. VISTA gives clients a way to step in, start moving and evolve their approach as they go, while connecting what they’re doing to what’s actually changing, attributing action to impact, not just activity to hope.”

“The organisations and brands that win won't be the loudest. They'll be the ones that send the clearest, most consistent signals wherever their stakeholders are looking,” she added.

The announcement is also accompanied by the promotion of Simon Lesch (pictured left) to Head of APAC AI & Transformation, joining Archetype’s regional leadership team, and the appointment of Florence Jarillo (pictured right) as APAC Data & Insights Lead.

Simon will lead the integration of AI across Archetype’s consulting and creative workflows, while Florence will focus on turning audience, brand and campaign signals into strategy clients can act on.

Florence said: “Data only matters when it improves the quality of decisions. Our role is to turn signals into insight, and insight into strategy clients can act on. By strengthening our data and insights capability across APAC, we can help clients better understand audiences, measure what matters and design campaigns that are more relevant, responsive and effective.”

Simon added: “AI has changed the operating model of communications, but it has not replaced strategy, judgement or creativity. The opportunity is to use AI to remove friction, accelerate workflows and create more space for higher-value thinking. For clients, that means faster decisions, smarter execution and communications programmes that can adapt with greater precision.” 

Coreena Hawkins has commenced a new role at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation as Head of Integrated Communications. She joined the team in 2023 and was most recently Head of Corporate Communications. Prior to this, Coreena worked agency-side at Health Haus Communications and Hausmann.

Giovanna Ingegneri has been named Communications Manager at NAC Media Group. She was at MVMNT Agency for more than three years as Senior Account Manager. Prior to this, Giovanna was at FORWARD Agency as well as PPR Australia and New Zealand.