Edelman invests further in creator economy with APAC leadership expansion

Global communications firm Edelman has expanded its creator marketing leadership in the Asia-Pacific region with the appointments of Sushant Vithaldas in India and Vimlarithan Vijaya in Southeast Asia. These hires follow the recent naming of Kenny Gold as the firm's first Global Chief Creator Officer, signaling a strategic shift toward creator-led campaigns as a core component of integrated communications. The expansion highlights the growing importance of creators as trusted sources of influence for both B2B and B2C brands seeking to navigate diverse local cultures across the APAC market.

Edelman has appointed Sushant Vithaldas as Head of Creator Marketing for India and Vimlarithan (Rithan) Vijaya as Creator Marketing Leader for Southeast Asia to meet accelerating client demand for localized creator strategies. Vithaldas, based in Mumbai, brings over 20 years of experience from roles at Collective Artists Network, Schbang, and Apple, while Malaysia-based Vijaya joins from Monks, where he managed creator strategy for brands like Google and Vaseline. These leaders will collaborate across social, paid, performance, and earned media disciplines to develop campaigns aimed at driving cultural relevance and business impact for clients throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The move is part of a broader global push by Edelman to champion the "Trusted Creator" model, an initiative led by Global Chief Creator Officer Kenny Gold. According to Gold, the firm aims to help brands navigate an era where audiences increasingly prioritize voices from trusted communities over traditional advertising. By adding deep market expertise in India and Southeast Asia, Edelman intends to strengthen its ability to protect and promote clients through earned-led storytelling that leverages the most impactful voices in these specific geographical markets.

Rakesh Thukral, Edelman’s CEO for Asia Pacific, emphasized that creator partnerships have become an essential requirement for any organization, whether operating in the B2B or B2C sectors, to effectively connect with modern audiences. This sentiment is echoed by the new appointees, who note that the creator economy offers unique opportunities for brands to engage through culture and community. Vijaya specifically highlighted that in the diverse Southeast Asian market, success depends on building creator programs that are credible and enduring rather than just visible, reflecting a shift in consumer behavior toward creators as primary information sources.