CMO Growth Council Speakers

Clay Schouest Chief Strategy Officer, APAC dentsu Clay is a cultural anthropologist and veteran strategist with a passion for brand building. He has amassed extensive experience across global, regional, and local roles in London, New York, Istanbul, Shanghai, Amsterdam, and Singapore. Clay has collaborated with prominent clients including The Coca-Cola Company, Unilever, Mondelez, Kraft Heinz, L’Oréal, and P&G. His recent experience includes three years brand-side at Reckitt, where he established an in-house creative and media team. An active industry participant, Clay served as a juror at Cannes 2021 and takes pride in mentoring emerging talents. He boasts numerous accolades, including five Cannes Lions and ten Effie Awards, an IPA and the ARF David Ogilvy Award while regularly contributing to industry publications and speaking engagements. He believes there is no greater philanthropic act than passing knowledge along.

Mimi Lu Head of Intelligence and Insights, APAC dentsu

Mimi is part of a new generation of strategists shaped by the demands of a data-driven, performance-oriented world. Having honed her expertise in two of APAC's most dynamic markets, Australia and China, she now focuses on building the APAC region as a new centre of innovation, creativity, and cultural influence.

Mimi has worked across a wide range of industries, always searching for the spark that comes from finding unexpected connections—because, after all, a mom and a B2B decision-maker often share more in common than you’d think. In her role as Head of Intelligence and Insights, APAC at dentsu, Mimi has focused on building a cultural intelligence capability that helps brands navigate APAC's diversity, the agility to succeed in emerging channels like social, and the resonance needed to drive long-term growth.

Rica Facundo Managing Editor WARC APAC

Rica is a ‘polymath storyteller’ passionate about championing creativity, culture, innovation and effectiveness in APAC. Journalist and strategist, her expertise is producing culturally relevant, holistic and human-centric thought leadership and solutions for brands, media and tech platforms.

She is a keynote speaker and moderator at major conferences such as Cannes Lions, Adfest, SXSW, Spikes, and FUTR. She is driven by the desire to ask better questions that uncover new insights and lead to more nuanced storytelling.

Richard Reid Head of Strategy, Media, APAC dentsu

A multi-capability strategist, Richard believes passionately in the impact that strategy delivers for businesses, the customers they serve and society at large. A ruthlessly succinct communicator, Richard combines capabilities in business, marketing, and customer strategy to bring clarity to the challenges that organisations face today.

At Dentsu, Richard is responsible for harnessing Dentsu’s breadth of capabilities to deliver the best solutions for our clients in APAC. His work includes Integrated Marketing & Comms Strategy, Digital Marketing and Sports Marketing.

Richard has served as the strategic lead for a diverse group of clients, including Heineken, Toyota, Samsung, Intel and Abbott.

Dhiren Amin Chief Customer Officer Income Insurance

Seasoned marketer with 20 years of marketing and more than a decade of product development and senior management experience.

CXO level roles for more than 8 years.

Chief Marketing Officer/Chief Customer Officer, across

1. Personal Care, Food and Financial services
2. 12 countries and living in 4 of them in the last decade.
3. Teams of more than 50 to 100+ marketing and product development professionals.

Chief Customer Officer at Income Insurance, from Mar’22 – current, and Chief Marketing Officer, Kraft Heinz, Asia, based on out of China from Dec 2019 to Mar’22.

Developed and launched more than 50+ products over the last decade across personal care (Vaseline Men face care, face wash and body lotions), food (Soy Sauces, Chili Sauces, Sardines, Canned Meat, Baby food) and insurance (life, personal accident, travel).

Led or influenced the development of more than 200+ marketing campaigns, spanning Indonesia, China, India, Singapore, Thailand, South Africa and other Asian markets.

Most business-impactful and awarded campaigns:

1. “Worst Face Scenario” for Vaseline Men, Thailand,
2. “Real Husbands Cook” for ABC Soy, Indonesia
3. Spice Insurance for ABC Chili, Indonesia
4. “Preserving the taste of Childhood” for fermented bean curd, Guanghe, China
5. “Trapped” for Income Travel Insurance, Singapore
6. “World’s Safest Athlete” for Income’s Fitness Insurance, Singapore

Kaveri Khullar Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing and Sponsorships Mastercard Asia Pacific

Kaveri Khullar is a key member of Mastercard's Asia Pacific Marketing Leadership Team, driving Consumer Marketing, Sponsorships, and Gaming in the region. Recognized on Campaign Asia’s Power 50 list, Kaveri is a Women in Gaming Ambassador, has served on the ASEAN Awards Committee for Women in Payments, and is an Innovation Award ASEAN nominee for Women in Payments 2025.

Kaveri’s 20-year career began in the fashion capitals of Paris and Milan, where she gained first-hand insights into the global luxury industry. Transitioning to the corporate world, she joined Virgin Records, immersing herself in music and pop culture as a sales & marketing executive. Six years later, her passion for luxury and lifestyle drew her to Diageo Plc. where she played a pivotal role in launching and commercializing Diageo Reserve, the company’s ultra-premium portfolio.

In 2015, Kaveri relocated to Singapore to spearhead Global Marketing Innovation for Johnnie Walker, leveraging her expertise in affluent consumer insights across India, Southeast Asia, and China. As the global innovation lead, she navigated a challenging industry landscape, accelerating premiumization and harnessing cultural trends to drive growth in markets such as China, India, and ASEAN. Her strategic vision and impact earned her recognition among Asia Pacific’s 50 most influential marketers [Campaign Asia Pacific, Power 50, 2018].

Recognising the transformative power of technology in marketing, Kaveri joined Mastercard Asia Pacific in 2018, leading a team of digital and marketing experts to establish meaningful brand presence in markets such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, where traditional payment companies were being challenged by wallets and alternative payment methods.

In 2020, she was elevated to Asia’s Head of Consumer Marketing and Sponsorships, where she not only advanced Mastercard’s business-driven marketing capabilities but also pioneered the company’s first-ever gaming product— Mastercard Gamer Exchange. This innovative platform unlocks new revenue streams in the $200 billion gaming industry while addressing critical challenges in loyalty and payments, delivering monetary value to both financial and non-financial institutions.

Beyond leading digital and experiential marketing for banks, merchants, and fintechs, Kaveri shapes Mastercard’s Sponsorship strategy, guiding investments in world-class events like the Australian Open, McLaren, and Cricket World Cup.

Her influence extends beyond marketing. She plays a critical role in shaping Mastercard’s Asia Pacific Advisory Board discussions on macroeconomic trends, technological innovation, and sustainability. Passionate about mentoring the next generation, she lectures on marketing innovation at the Singapore Management University, equipping students with the tools to navigate technological disruption.