Top level changes at Y&R Philippines

Mary Buenaventura has been promoted to the Chief Executive Officer position at Y&R Philippines. She succeeds Chiqui Lara who stays on as President, Y&R Philippines.

Buenaventura (on the left with Lara) has been with Y&R for over a decade, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that she was Division Director on various accounts within the agency, across multiple categories including FMCG and automotive. She joined Y&R in 2002 from Burson Marsteller.

Buenaventura established the in-house integrated ‘Action Marketing’ capabilities for the agency, a first in the Y&R network in Asia. These capabilities include Public Relations, Event Marketing, CRM, Digital, and Shopper Marketing. The agency’s achievements led to acclaim in the national business press, and she continues to lead agency service innovations. Her past agency experience includes integrated marketing solutions for Novartis, Nortel Networks, Monsanto, Pepsi, Unilever & Kimberly Clark.


She is management lead for major agency clients Inbisco, Boehringer, Pacual Laboratories Corporate, Colgate-Palmolive, Chevron, United Health Group, Accenture & new business innovations. Buenaventura is also currently a panel officer of the Advertising Standards Council of the Philippines and representative in the Philippine Association of Advertising Agencies.

Commenting on the appointment, Sanjay Bhasin, CEO of Y&R Southeast Asia, said, “We are delighted to announce Mary’s appointment and glad that Chiqui remains on board as President for the coming year. The agency has gone from strength to strength under Chiqui’s leadership, and will continue to do so in Mary’s very capable hands.”

“2013 was a great year for the agency, winning its first ever Cannes Lions for long-term client Maynilad Water, and building up robust digital and retail marketing capabilities. We look forward to further success in 2014,” said Buenaventura.

Chiqui G. Lara stays on as President Y&R Philippines, having been with the agency for almost 11 years. “Our team has been through extraordinary challenges and has emerged even stronger,” she said. “We are very proud to have fashioned an agency that is like no other in this part of the world. Our offerings have expanded beyond the traditional channels into the realm of interactive, CRM, activation and design.”

Lara joined Y&R in 2003 having been Vice-Chairman and President/CEO of Basic Advertising (now Publicis Jimenez/Basic) and worked on the successful re-launch of the Palmolive Hair Care and Body Care lines in the Philippines.