As the ‘What’s NEXT in Marketing 2025’ series creates buzz across Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Malaysia, Special has made a major move to strengthen its APAC leadership for Uber and Uber Eats.
The agency has appointed award-winning creatives Peter Defries and Alan Wilson as Regional Group Creative Directors, returning to Australia after nearly a decade in New York. At BBH NY, they led high-impact work for brands like Walmart, Cadillac, and the J.M. Smucker Company, earning over 30 international awards and a spot in D&AD’s Top 20 Executive Creative Directors list in 2022.
“We’ve been massive fans of Special for some time now. Watching from the other side of the world, we were consistently blown away by the breakthrough work they produced, especially with Uber and Uber Eats. So when the opportunity arose to be part of it, we couldn’t say no,” said Wilson.
Defries added, “Leaving New York wasn’t a decision we took lightly—it gave us some of the best experiences of our careers. But the chance to come home and join this extremely talented team, pushing creative boundaries at a world-class level right here in our own backyard, was simply too good to pass up.”
Joining Celia Garforth and Lauren Portelli, the duo will lead creative for Uber across APAC markets including ANZ, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan—operating from Special’s Sydney HQ with additional support in Tokyo. The agency’s recent campaign, ‘Get Almost Almost Anything’, earned a Gold Effie in 2024.
Tom Martin, Partner & CCO at Special Australia, welcomed the pair back:
“We’re pumped to have Pete and Alan boomerang back to Australia and back into Special. We’re at our best when we bring together top-tier humans who get what it takes to make great work and do it with care, craft and real collaboration.”
Cade Heyde, Global Partner at Special, concluded,
“The magic of Special Group comes from the extraordinary people behind it. Celia and Lauren have been instrumental in building our creative reputation across APAC. And now, with Peter and Alan joining them, we believe we have one of the best, most exciting teams in the world.”
Read more: Spotify India Elevates Pulkit Mathur To Head Of Product & Growth Marketing
