Regional Business Development Director – APAC (Creative Merchandise & Brand Campaigns)

HCO Strategy; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 900,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

HCO Strategy in Hong Kong seeks a senior business development leader to open doors with CMOs and regional marketing leaders across APAC, shaping opportunities from first contact to close.

You will work with a hub-and-spoke model, building a regional pipeline and handing off to in-market teams while reporting to the Executive Director. A deep network in consumer brands and Mandarin/Cantonese language skills are highly valued.

Qualifications

• 12–15+ years in business development or new business roles, with at least 5 years in a regional APAC remit.
• Background in promotional merchandise, licensing, brand activation, marketing execution, POSM, or creative production agencies.
• Proven track record of winning regional or multi-market accounts from scratch, not just growing inherited ones.
• Active C-level and senior marketing network across consumer brands in APAC.
• Comfort with hub-and-spoke model and opening doors for local teams to close.
• Mandarin and/or Cantonese is a strong advantage; Hong Kong-based preferred; regular regional travel.

Responsibilities

• Identify and win new regional and multi-market brand accounts across APAC.
• Build relationships with CMOs, regional marketing heads, brand directors and procurement leaders at MNCs and regional brands.
• Open high-value conversations and convert them into qualified opportunities.
• Position campaign-led merchandise, licensing and activation programmes as a commercial lever.
• Hand off qualified opportunities to in-market sales teams and stay involved through to close.
• Build and manage a regional pipeline with clear reporting to HQ.
• Share market intelligence on competitors and spending trends to shape growth priorities.
• Represent the company at industry events, brand forums and licensing shows.

Skills

C-suite networking

Regional APAC business development

Strategic account development

Job description

Our client is a Singapore-headquartered creative merchandise company with 20+ years in the region. They design, license, produce and fulfil campaign merchandise – gift-with-purchase programmes, licensed character collectibles, PR kits and activation merchandise – for global and regional consumer brands across F&B, FMCG, beauty, financial services and retail.

With teams across Southeast Asia and China, an in-house design studio, regional fulfilment capability, and top-tier sustainability certifications, they work with 900+ brands across APAC. The next phase is about winning more regional and multi-market brand programmes. This is a new role created to lead that push.

THE ROLE

This is a senior hunting role. You will open doors at the C-suite and regional marketing leadership level of major consumer brands, build the relationship, and shape the opportunity. Once the opportunity is qualified, the local sales and account teams in each market take the lead on execution and close, with you as the senior sponsor.

You will report directly to the Executive Director and work closely with the leadership team on regional growth strategy.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Identify and win new regional and multi-market brand accounts across APAC
• Build relationships with CMOs, regional marketing heads, brand directors and procurement leaders at MNC and regional consumer brands
• Use your existing network to open high-value conversations and turn them into qualified opportunities
• Position campaign-led merchandise, licensing and activation programmes as a commercial lever for the client
• Hand off qualified opportunities to in-market sales teams and stay involved as executive sponsor through to close
• Build and manage a regional pipeline, with clear reporting to HQ
• Share market intelligence on competitors, client spending trends and new categories to shape the group's growth priorities
• Represent the company at industry events, brand forums and licensing shows

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• 12–15+ years in business development or new business roles, with at least 5 years in a regional APAC remit
• Background in promotional merchandise, licensing, brand activation, marketing execution, POSM, or creative production agencies
• A proven track record of winning regional or multi-market accounts from scratch, not just growing inherited ones
• An active C-level and senior marketing network across consumer brands in APAC
• Comfort working through a hub-and-spoke model, where you open the door and local teams deliver
• Strong commercial judgement: you know which opportunities are worth pursuing
• Hong Kong-based preferred; regular regional travel required
• Mandarin and/or Cantonese is a strong advantage

WHY THIS ROLE

- A new, senior role with direct access to group leadership

- A clear mandate to build regional growth, not maintain a book

- A strong creative and delivery engine behind you, so you can focus on winning

- Competitive package, structured around seniority and impact