[Interview] Asheen Naidu, Executive Creative Director, Leo Singapore

Leo Singapore sits at the centre of one of the world’s most culturally diverse regions, where fast-moving markets, shifting consumer behaviour and a rising regional identity shape creativity.

Executive Creative Director Asheen Naidu is focused on turning that complexity into an advantage—building ideas that travel across Southeast Asia while staying rooted in local truth, and redefining creative cut-through in an age of AI, social commerce and constant content saturation. He spoke to Marketing Report

How is leading the Singapore hub different from your previous global ECD roles, and what creative opportunity drew you to this role?

South East Asia is a really interesting and exciting market, where each country has its own very unique culture and vibe. Getting to play with creativity in this region was a big draw card. And at Leo Singapore, I also get to experiment with mixing different skill sets. The diverse capabilities we have, in the really unique region we find ourselves in, makes for a wonderful creative playground.

As Group ECD, how do you balance fostering creativity with meeting client expectations and business goals?

I see them as one and the same. We’re here to solve our client’s business problems. The more surprising we are in doing that, the easier it is to cut through the sea of sameness of the category and actually stand out to people in the real world.

Singapore is a regional hub. How do you create work from there that resonates in local markets like Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam?

When you’re speaking to such a wide and varied audience, you really have to find an insight that resonates with everyone. We look at human truths, brand truths, common cultural truths. Something that people will be drawn to and can relate to.
And then we build our creative idea around that, making sure that the way we bring it to life in each market, feels true to that specific market. But things are changing. While in the past it was common for global campaigns to be localized, we’re seeing more ideas that are born locally and then scaled regionally, which is a big shift.

Are there any emerging creative trends in the Asia-Pacific region that you find particularly exciting or disruptive?

It’s an interesting part of the world, especially here in SEA. There’s definitely a shift from Western cultural dominance to a more regional remix of influences. There’s the rise of C-pop alongside K-pop. And beyond music, that influence extends into fashion and beauty as well. There’s a growing sense of regional pride. Audiences want to see their own languages, humour and culture reflected back at them.

And the way people discover and buy has fundamentally changed. TikTok, for example isn’t just a media channel anymore. It’s a storefront, entertainment hub and cultural engine all in one. So, our creativity can’t just be about storytelling. We have to create content that can sell, travel and be remixed by communities in real time.

How is the role of creativity evolving in the age of AI, data-driven marketing, and digital-first campaigns?

As AI makes execution faster and cheaper, the real differentiator is original thinking.
Ideas that cut through algorithmic sameness and connect on a human level. There’s going to be so much well-polished content out there, that the most powerful creative work will be the kind that feels distinctly human. Something surprising, emotional and impossible to fully automate.

What approaches should agencies and creative teams prioritize to stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry?

The differentiator is no longer just craft, but taste, perspective and an intimate understanding of culture. Creativity is becoming more adaptive, with modular ideas designed to evolve across platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Ultimately, the role of creatives is shifting upstream, from making content to shaping strategy, culture, and meaning in ways data alone can’t.

What are you personally most excited about in your role at Leo Singapore over the coming year?

I feel like we’ve got a group of people who are not only talented, but really hungry to make great work. And a set of clients who share that passion. It makes for a very exciting year ahead!

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