The centre, Essence Global Ventures (EGV), will develop marketing technology products using predictive data signals and automation, aimed at improving business performance, customer experience and brand governance.

The move is supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). Services developed in the hub will be used across the company’s offices worldwide, with an executive council, comprising senior global and regional leaders from Essence, overseeing the strategic direction and delivery of EGV’s research and development.

Essence will also run development programmes for Singapore-based staff through the hub, in areas including data science, advanced analytics and data engineering.

The agency launched in Singapore in 2013 and now has nine offices in the Asia-Pacific region.

Kunal Guha, who oversees Essence’s Singapore office and the agency’s product offering in Asia-Pacific (pictured, right), said: "With our strategic partnership with EDB, we are embarking on an exciting future in incubating and developing product propositions for the new era of marketing, with data, technology, protection and experience at the core." 

Dawn Lim, deputy director, commercial and professional services at EDB (pictured, second from right), said the launch “reflects confidence in Singapore’s ecosystem of innovation and talent” and will “create exciting job opportunities and develop Singapore’s capability in areas such as data science and user experience”.

Pictured (left to right): Simeon Duckworth, global head of strategy and analytics, Essence; Sarah Walker, global head of business planning, Essence; Dawn Lim, EDB; and Kunal Guha, Essence