Grace Blue hires former JWT boss Michael Maedel to head new Asia-Pacific venture

Go-go executive search firm Grace Blue is opening its third office in Singapore, to add to London and New York, and has hired former JWT heavy hitter Michael Maedel as Asia-Pacific executive chairman.

Maedel is a former president of JWT Asia-Pacific and also a one-time boss of JWT EMEA. Grace Blue partner Helen Duffy (both pictured) is also joining the new office.

Maedel says: “Asia-Pacific is a widely disparate region, with different approaches to marketing and media, but the common threads are enormous potential for growth and a lack of enough world-class leadership talent.

“Grace Blue Asia aims to leverage the company’s existing European and US experience to better answer global briefs and help businesses in the region find the very best people to fill their senior management positions. These days, leadership in the creative economy is a global business.”

Grace Blue CEO Europe and Asia Juliet Timms says: “Our new office will help us work with the biggest names in the region and beyond. In particular, Michael knows the issues and challenges of leadership in the Asia-Pacific market better than almost anyone and is the ideal person to guide us through this incredible new opportunity.”