Dentsu Aegis Network’s digital performance agency Columbus expands into Asia

Dentsu Aegis Network has expanded their leading Australian digital performance agency Columbus into Asia – a strategic move to further strengthen the network’s digital scale and leadership position in digital performance.

Columbus Asia will become Dentsu Aegis Network’s second, digital performance brand in the region and will fortify the Group’s growing global performance marketing network. Columbus Asia will continue the agency’s award-winning positioning of consumer-centric performance and experience solutions underpinned by data and technology.

Since its establishment in 2006, the Australian-based digital agency has grown to become the country’s largest performance marketing business. Powered by over 100 staff locally, the Sydney hub will continue as the region’s centre of excellence for product and strategy. Columbus works with a prestigious list of global brands.

Nick Waters CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific said of the expansion, “We have seen significant growth in performance media across the region. In Columbus we have Australia’s leading search and performance agency, and will now extend the agency into Asia to capture the opportunity.

“Columbus will operate in parallel to iProspect as a sister agency, and Ruth Stubbs will lead a new performance media division within the group.”

Rosemary Lising (pictured above), previously Regional Managing Director iProspect: Key Accounts, will become the Managing Director for Columbus Asia and drive the Asian expansion. She said, “Columbus has been an extremely successful company for Dentsu Aegis Network in Australia, and we feel it’s the right time to expand the business and its innovative performance solutions into Asia. The opportunity will allow us to meet ambitious targets with our growing roster of Dentsu Aegis clients across Asia Pacific.”

Lising will report into Ruth Stubbs, now CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Digital Performance, which also includes iProspect, John Brown and the network’s mobile arm Fetch in Asia Pacific.

Rebecca Tos, who will continue as Managing Director for Columbus Australia, said, “Expansion into Asia is a significant milestone for Columbus, not only signalling the strength of our brand across borders but also the synergy of our world class offering with clients in the Asian market. I’m truly excited to support the Columbus Asia operation and our existing clients with Asian presence are already seeing real value in this growth for their business, strengthening our brand and partnerships even further.”