About distillery
Ready to make your mark?
We are distillery; a global independent creative practice, trusted by world-leading B2B, purpose and consumer organisations to deliver tangible value through our marketing specialisms.
Our purpose is to empower ambitious business leaders and marketers to make a difference. We achieve this through compassion, curiosity and a commitment to achieve outstanding results every time.
Our office bases are located in Singapore, San Francisco, London, and Dubai and our days are fast-paced and exciting, within an atmosphere that is super comfortable, creative, and collaborative. This role is offered in our x office, and the successful candidate will be required to be in the office a minimum 2-3 days per week.
We take care of our people and we are always looking for opportunities for them to grow. Our leadership priorities are simplicity, transparency, and humanity.
The Role
The General Manager, Singapore (APAC) is responsible for leading and running distillery’s business in Singapore, acting as the operational and commercial lead for the market and wider APAC delivery hub.
This is a senior, hands-on leadership role with accountability for market performance, client growth, team leadership, and overall business outcomes. Reporting into the Managing Director, EMEA, and mentored by the CEO, you will translate regional strategy into effective local execution, ensuring distillery delivers strong commercial results, high-quality work, and a consistent client experience in-market.
As General Manager, you will own the Singapore P&L, build and grow client relationships, and lead a high-performing, multi-disciplinary team. You will balance commercial ambition with operational discipline, ensuring the business runs effectively while identifying and unlocking growth opportunities across APAC.
The GM partners closely with the Director of Creative Operations & Delivery, who owns delivery frameworks, resourcing, and execution standards across APAC and the wider business.
The GM also works closely with the Client Strategy Director/Head of Growth, who leads growth strategy, proposition development, and pipeline creation across APAC.
This role suits a commercially minded, operationally strong leader who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and is excited to scale a market while delivering exceptional work.
How You Will Make Your Mark
Market Leadership & Culture
Act as the senior leader for distillery in Singapore, setting clear direction, expectations, and standards for the market
Build, lead, and develop a multidisciplinary team, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture aligned with distillery’s values
Create a strong, scalable team structure across client services, strategy, and creative disciplines
Coach and mentor team members, building capability, accountability, and future leadership depth
Partner closely with the Managing Director, EMEA, contributing market insight and aligning to regional priorities
Commercial Ownership & Financial Performance
Own and manage the Singapore (APAC) P&L, with clear accountability for revenue, margin, and profitability
Deliver against agreed revenue targets through a combination of client growth and new opportunities
Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial discipline across accounts and engagements
Drive strong commercial performance through effective scoping, pricing, and commercial decision-making
Build commercial awareness across the team, ensuring accountability for performance and outcomes
Client Growth & Market Development
Own and grow key client relationships, acting as a trusted senior partner across priority accounts
Identify and drive organic growth opportunities, expanding the scope and value of existing engagements
Partner with the Client Strategy Director / Head of Growth on business development efforts, contributing client insight, leading commercial conversations, and supporting pitches and proposals
Build strong relationships with senior client stakeholders, positioning distillery as a strategic partner
Identify and unlock opportunities across APAC markets, sectors, and platforms (e.g. social commerce, creator economy)
Maintain a strong and forward-looking pipeline, ensuring sustainable revenue growth
Sponsor and prioritise growth opportunities across accounts, ensuring alignment between client needs, commercial goals, and strategic direction
Market Execution & Business Performance
Take full accountability for the performance of the APAC business, ensuring work meets client expectations, commercial targets, and distillery standards
Set clear priorities across accounts and workstreams, ensuring focus, alignment, and momentum
Maintain strong oversight of account health, delivery performance, and client satisfaction, intervening where required
Partner closely with the Director of Creative Operations & Delivery to ensure work is effectively scoped, resourced, and executed
Balance growth ambition with operational reality to ensure a sustainable and scalable business
Regional Collaboration & Execution
Work closely with the Managing Director, EMEA to execute regional strategy within the APAC market
Support multi-market opportunities by enabling seamless delivery from Singapore into wider APAC
Provide regular reporting and insight on performance, pipeline, and market dynamics
Act as a key link between global strategy and local execution, ensuring alignment and adaptability
Team Leadership & Capability Building
Build, lead, and develop a high-performing APAC team across client services, strategy, and creative disciplines
Create clarity around roles, responsibilities, and expectations across the team
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance
Support hiring, onboarding, and capability development aligned to business growth
Build leadership depth and succession within the APAC team
What You Will Bring to Make Your Mark
Demonstrate senior leadership experience in a consultancy, agency, or professional services environment, with accountability for business performance and client outcomes
Proven ability to own and grow client portfolios, building long-term, high-value relationships
Strong commercial acumen, with experience managing revenue, forecasting, and profitability
Experience operating in APAC markets, with a clear understanding of regional dynamics and opportunities
Ability to translate strategy into execution, driving clarity, focus, and results across teams
A confident and credible client presence, with experience engaging senior stakeholders
A hands-on, pragmatic leadership style, comfortable operating in a scaling, fast-moving environment
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional and cross-regional teams, balancing autonomy with alignment
A strong sense of ownership and accountability, with the resilience and adaptability to lead in an evolving business
