Awards can sometimes feel like a moment in time or a name on a slide. It may feel like a quick round of applause before we move on to the next thing.
The Performies, however, were never meant to be that.
At M+C Saatchi Performance, every year, we host the Performies awards to spotlight something far more important than outputs or titles. We conduct these internal awards annually to recognise the people and their contributions that power our agency’s performance from the background every day. And the 2025 winners remind us exactly why culture is not just a buzzword but a competitive advantage here at M+C Saatchi Performance.
Across regions, roles, and seniority levels, one key attribute shows up again and again and reminds us that progress is built by people who care deeply about the work they do, who collaborate for the collective outcome of the agency, and stay relentlessly curious in the process.
The New Employee of the Year Category, Because Impact Has No Waiting Period
It’s been observed to be a universal feeling that 2025 went by really fast, but one of the clearest takeaways from this category of our Performies awards is how quickly impact can be created when people are trusted to show their mettle.
Across regions, New Employee of the Year winners were recognised for “finding their feet” and making significant contributions almost immediately. In Delhi, Chitrakshi Chauhan spoke about how being recognised early fuelled her curiosity to keep learning and growing. In Jakarta, Anggriani Tantri, who stepped into a brand-new role in the organisation, described the award as an unexpected but affirming signal that experimentation and learning in motion are valued here at M+C Saatchi Performance.
From Kuala Lumpur, Atiqah Azmi echoed a similar sentiment that strong team support and guidance didn’t just help her ramp up faster, but it also pushed her to contribute at a higher level sooner than she expected.
Together, these stories point to the fact that when mentorship is active, expectations are clear, and trust is reposed early, impact doesn’t need a long runway. Here, progress is not gated by tenure; our people unlock it by the environment around them.
Team Player of the Year, Since Performance Is a Team Sport
If there’s one Performies category that most closely reflects how we actually work here at M+C Saatchi Performance, it’s the Team Player of the Year.
Across regions, these winners consistently redirected the spotlight away from themselves and continued with their hard work behind the scenes. In Bangalore, Shalu Deborah described the recognition as inseparable from the collaboration and encouragement of her team. In Delhi, Piyush Jain framed the award not as an individual milestone, but as a result of collective synergy, the kind built when teams genuinely show up for one another.
In Jakarta, Grimaldy Sinaga, recognised shortly after joining the organisation, credited the warmth and openness of his team for making a recognisable contribution possible from day one. From Kuala Lumpur, Ashwaryaa Nair echoed the same belief that trust, shared ownership, and a supportive environment are what turn challenges into progress.
Taken together, these stories show how performance isn’t powered by lone brilliance but built through alignment, trust, and teams moving forward together.
Young Achiever of the Year: Growth with Intent
The Young Achiever of the Year category highlights something particularly compelling. It reflects that growth is grounded in intent and not in age.
The winners across regions showcased that acceleration calls for no shortcuts. In EMEA, Lulu Desouza reflected on how trust, collaboration, and consistent support helped turn demanding challenges into key learning moments for her. Recognition, here, was about both speed and responsibility, which was handled meticulously once earned.
Curiosity combined with accountability is what stood out across this category as a shared mindset. These individuals stepped into complexities early on, asked better questions, and proved that leadership potential is defined by how thoughtfully you show up, take ownership, and deliver consistently, not by tenure!
In a fast-paced environment like ours, where we rarely slow down, this next generation is already shaping how work gets done. They are confident, they have got clarity, and regardless of what viral opinions scream, we’ve seen it first-hand that they care too.
Innovation Champion of the Year For Those Who Drew ROI with Curiosity
Innovation is often celebrated when it’s visible, less so when it’s uncomfortable, unfinished, or silently transformative. This year’s Innovation Champions were recognised precisely for leaning into that harder middle.
In the USA, Michael Hew spoke candidly about how relevant innovation only becomes effective when built alongside passionate stakeholders and collaborators who turn ideas into lasting outputs. From EMEA, Alex Williamson framed his recognition as proof that curiosity, even without a “perfect outcome,” still delivers progress and learning with tangible value.
In Jakarta, Felicia Mofa captured a sentiment many innovators feel but rarely say out loud, that experimentation beyond traditional performance channels can sometimes feel invisible. This recognition, she shared, reaffirmed that curiosity and exploration are valued here at M+C Saatchi Performance.
What connects these stories is that innovation here isn’t siloed or ornamental but a collaborative and practical effort, anchored in long-term impact.
Client Servicing Person of the Year Because Client Trust Is the True Metric
In performance marketing, results are measured in numbers, but sustained success calls for a different currency, and that, indeed, is trust.
Great client relationships are built long before outcomes begin to reflect on the dashboards. Our winners of the Client Servicing Person of the Year consistently stood true to this throughout the year. At an APAC level, Syarifa Diyanti spoke about client servicing as something deeper than expectation management and about understanding, open communication, and growing together as partners.
Across regions, this category highlighted people who navigated complexity with calmness, transparency, and accountability, especially when things weren’t straightforward. Their recognition reflects an ability to balance rigour with empathy.
In an ecosystem where platforms evolve constantly, human judgment and trusted relationships remain the one advantage that can’t be automated.
Employee of the Year: Quiet Consistency, Lasting Impact
The Employee of the Year category brings together everything the Performies stand for at M+C Saatchi Performance.
These winners aren’t necessarily the most visible voices, but they are the most reliable ones. In Singapore, Thatchawut Kawinmethachot reflected on how an environment rooted in accountability, mutual respect, and collaboration shaped both the work and his own standards. In Delhi, Barsha Dam highlighted how consistent support and trust from her team were as important as visible wins.
From EMEA, Scarlett Ireson summed it up simply that recognition is significant, but growth over time is what truly defines the journey.
Across stories, humility stood out, and recognition wasn’t treated as a finish line, but as reinforcement and encouragement to keep learning, contributing, and raising the bar consistently.
The Performies are a marker of progress.
It is our way of celebrating people who collaborate, stay curious even when outcomes aren’t neat. It is an understanding that performance is built at the intersection of people, trust, and technology, that it is built by the minds behind the machines.
As we move forward, these stories shape the culture we continue to build because at M+C Saatchi Performance, our best work has always started with our people.
