MANILA  On April 12, over a round of drinks, TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno (TBWA\SMP) showed faith in the adage that the youth are the hope for the future, when it proudly announced the promotions of nine extraordinary young people to key positions within the Disruption Agency’s organization.

Newly-minted as Account Directors were Dhanice Mengote, Alexandra Huang, and Jake Espina. As Account Managers who worked their way through the ranks, the three have proven their mettle, handling major accounts such as Nissan, Alaska Milk, McDonald’s, Bench, and Oishi.

On the creative front, TBWA\SMP was proud to raise two of their own to the rank Associate Creative Director in the forms of Greg Hernandez and James Mendoza, who have distinguished themselves through their tireless abilities to lead while adapting to constantly-shifting client needs.

As client and market demands have shifted increasingly towards digital, so has the demand for individuals willing to take on new skill sets and the challenges of new technologies. For his work overseeing TBWA\SMP’s digital production arm, Mark Baul was promoted to UX Director, while Ingrid Papa was made Senior Media and Analytics Manager. At the same time, Paul Carrera was elevated to Senior Digital Producer, in addition to his new role as Digital Account Director.

The highest promotion of the evening was that of June Castelo to the position of Business Unit Director, a post well-earned for her expert handling of Del Monte, Peerless, and Emperador.

At a time when most agencies are either downsizing or seeking external talent to address global industry trends, TBWA\SMP looked within to ensure its longevity for the days ahead. Indeed, with hard-working teams comprised of young trailblazers such as these, the Agency’s future looks to be in good hands.

Now that’s something definitely worth raising a glass to.