DDB Group Singapore is strengthening its strategic capabilities with the appointment of senior strategist Daniel Huang, a seasoned planner with global experience across Shanghai, London, and Hong Kong. Huang joins the agency’s growing planning team under chief strategy officer Subodh Deshpande, who came onboard last year. His past work includes global campaigns for Unilever’s Dove, tackling cross-cultural beauty standards, and flagship launches for Huawei’s smartphones and photography awards. Huang joins a robust lineup that includes Susanna Yap, a 12-year DDB veteran known for her work with Google, DBS, and McDonald’s, and Annabelle Goh, a social-first strategist recently hired from Ogilvy Singapore. The team is supported by Kenneth Wee, a researcher and futurist who brings cultural and data-driven insight to brand planning. Together, they form a strategic powerhouse positioned to decode the complex cultural fabric of Southeast Asia.

The timing of Huang’s appointment aligns with the launch of DDB’s Feels Barometer, a proprietary global tool built in partnership with insights agency TRA. Designed to capture the emotional texture of audiences at scale – from intensity to colour and even sensory cues – the tool is tailored for cultural relevance. A version specifically adapted for Asian audiences will roll out later this year. “The Feels Barometer will be instrumental in making sure our campaigns align with the unique emotional drivers of diverse audiences,” said Deshpande, noting its relevance for Southeast Asia’s highly nuanced markets.

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