Our focus has always been on simplicity. Unraveling the complexity of business and bringing simple ideas and innovative thinking to brands. Then creating the remarkability they need to grow, build market share, or disrupt the status quo.

Who we are

DIA was established in London in 1983 and became a top five branding consultancy by the end of the 80’s. We opened in Asia in 1996 and today DIA is an independent group based in Singapore with studios in Malaysia, Australia and Indonesia.

We are a group of remarkable strategic, creative and business minds. Our culture is built around ideas. Inspiring, sparking and fostering creative thinking that results in effective business change.

Leaders  |  Team

DIA Brands Singapore-Nigel Smith
Nigel Smith
Group CEO
DIA Brands Singapore-Pooja G Dixit
Pooja Grover
Managing Director, Singapore
Sutapa Bhattacharya
Managing Director, Malaysia

Change for the better

 

Nigel has been in the communications industry for more than 30 years. He was Group Director of the Penta Communications Group for 6 years before joining DIA in London in 1983 as Deputy Managing Director and head of Corporate Branding and Communications.

 

Nigel is a recognised expert in the branding and design innovation field and is also a regular speaker at conferences in the region. He has been involved in the development and implementation of many leading corporate, consumer and retail brands, including some of the world’s top brands such as Honda, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Nestle, IBM, Coca-Cola and many others. Nigel has also undertaken branding, communications and design thinking programmes for some of Singapore’s leading companies and organisations including Olam, NTUC, Chemoil, OCBC Bank, Singapore Airlines, Singapore Power, Asia Pacific Breweries, F&N, and NLB.

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Purpose-driven Strategy

 

Pooja’s passion for branding is driven by a love for people and how her work can impact their lives in big or small ways. She has nearly 20 years of work experience in Asia. Her rich experience in sales, marketing and branding has been achieved by working with a vast spectrum of global and local clients alike.

 

Pooja is a certified PMC (Practising Management Consultant, recognised by Enterprise Singapore and SBACC. She is also a recognised lead consultant on Design Thinking projects, recognised by Design Singapore. When away from work, she loves travelling, spending time with her children and supports all causes associated with underprivileged children and animal welfare.

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Sutapa is an award-winning Brand Specialist, and recognised marketing and communication veteran of more than 25 years in marketing research, media, strategic communication, advertising, and branding across Asia and the Middle East for local, multinational, and regional clients with stints in Nielsen, JWT, Grey and Leo Burnett.

 

In Leo Burnett she started the Brand Consultancy business, winning Gold Award of the Year for 4 consecutive years.

 

Sutapa’s most recent position was with TNB where she launched the Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Roadmap and related initiatives – GSparx, e-mobility, smart meter, etc. Increasing TNB’s brand value by +70%.

 

Her single-minded focus is to develop strong branding strategies based on business goals and/or problems, that lead to effective and impactful branding and communication solutions and the building of meaningful relationships with stakeholders.

 

She has accumulated multiple industry awards and for consecutive years – Effies, Appies, Dragons, Campaign Asia, Brand Consultancy of the Year, Malaysian Chief Marketing Officer of the Year, etc. Sutapa conducts regular Brand Planning workshops for the marketing industry.

 

She has worked on both local, international and regional brands across the region.

 

Her previous clients include Petronas (10years), Proton, Maybank, AIA, McDonald’s, Samsung, P&G, TATA,  among many others. She has worked extensively across Asia, MENA.

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Raudha Azman
Account Director
Shaun Low
Senior Brand Consultant

“Build something 100 people love, not something 1 million people kind of like.”

Rica Dujon
Senior Brand Designer

“If you love something, it will work and that’s the only real rule.”

Method to the madness

 

An experienced account servicing lead, Raudha brings a demonstrated history of managing and consulting on projects across the world of advertising and branding, and across various industries, from healthcare, the public service sector, education, publishers, FMCG to telcos, technology and hospitality, both locally and globally.

 

She thrives on unravelling complex situations and in helping businesses and brands work towards effecting change that will impact the market as we know it through effective verbal and visual communication – the outcome of a rigorous brand building process.

 

Outside of work, she enjoys the great outdoors – a source of inspiration and relaxation – and soaking up as much of the sun with her family.

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Sum
Production Manager

“World-class production meets world-class attitude.”

Yitt Hung
Brand Designer

“A minimalist with a complicated mind.”

Suzanne
Brand Designer

“Curiosity drives discovery, that’s how creativity is born.”

Ridhwan
Digital Designer

“Efficiency meets creativity.”

Rebecca Pang
Associate Consultant

“Brewing the best concoction of ideas for compelling brand stories.”

Siok Teng
Senior Brand Designer

“Simplicity is sophistication, imagination and truthfulness.”

Ian Skatu
Brand Consultant

“The world is but a speck of dust. So say more, do more, be more.”

Fairuz Rawi
Knowledge Manager

“Synthesising insights in search of awesomeness.”

Dhanesa Poobalan
Brand Associate

“Play by the rules with fiery passion.”

Ain Ahamad
Brand Associate

“Freedom is a state of mind.”

Ysabel Tan
Associate Brand Consultant

“Live in the leading – the spaces in between the rules.”

Recognition

Our collaboration with our clients has created award-winning work that has transformed businesses and built relationships that last.

1
President’s Design Award
3
Brand Consultancy of the Year Awards
6
Marketing Excellence Awards
2
Singapore Design Awards – Asia’s Top Design Practice
25
Singapore Design Awards
2
Singapore Promising Brand Awards
1
Singapore Brand Award
2
Singapore Retail Association Awards
1
Singapore Iconic Design Award
1
Singapore Star Packaging Award
3
Star Brand Awards
5
Singapore Annual Report Awards

Full awards listing

2018
Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the Year Awards
Brand Consultancy of the Year (Silver)

2017
Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the Year Awards
Brand Consultancy of the Year (Bronze)

2016
Marketing Excellence Awards
Kayamila – Excellence in Brand Strategy (Bronze)

Asia Communications Awards
Progresif Cellular – Best Brand Campaign

Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the Year Awards
Brand Consultancy of the Year (Finalist)

Singapore Design Awards
Progresif Cellular – Communication – Branding (Gold)

2015
President’s Design Award – Design of the Year
Library@Orchard

Marketing Excellence Awards
Meadow Gold Premium Ice Cream – Excellence in Brand Strategy (Finalist)

Singapore Good Design Mark – SG50 Special Edition
Changi Airport Singapore

Singapore Design Awards
Asia’s Top Design Practice – Branding
Asia’s Top Design Practice – Multi-Disciplinary

2014
Marketing Excellence Awards
Sport Singapore – Excellence in Government Sector Marketing (Silver)
Peperoni Pizzeria – Excellence in Brand Strategy (Certificate of Excellence)

Singapore Design Awards
Asia’s Top Design Practice – Branding
Asia’s Top Design Practice – Multi-Disciplinary

2013
Marketing Excellence Awards
Olam Sustainability Program – Excellence in CSR (Silver)
BaliThai – Excellence in Brand Strategy (Certificate of Excellence)

2012
Marketing Excellence Awards
Nature’s Wonders – Packaging Design (Gold)
Tai Sun Nuts – Packaging Design (Bronze)

Singapore Design Awards
Dunlopillo – Branding (Silver)
NTUC Next U – Branding (Bronze)
NTUC Next U – Multi-Disciplinary Design (Bronze)
NTUC Unity Healthcare – Branding (Bronze)
U&Me 50th Labour Movement – Branding (Bronze)
Kewalram Chanrai 150th – Multi-Disciplinary Design (Bronze)
Kota Iskandar Destination – Multi-Disciplinary Design (Bronze)
Ogawa World – Branding (Bronze)
Ogawa World – Multi-Disciplinary Design (Bronze)
Straits Resources Annual Report – Print (Bronze)

2010
Singapore Design Awards
Lamitak – Brand Identity (Silver)
Lamitak – Logo (Gold)
Carlton Hotel – Brand Identity (Silver)
Carlton Hotel – Logo (Bronze)
Café Mosaic – Brand Identity (Silver)
Café Mosaic – Logo (Bronze)
NTUC LearningHub – Brand Identity (Bronze)
NTUC LearningHub – Logo (Bronze)

TAK – Logo (Bronze)
Cuscapi – Branding (Bronze)
Signature Identity System – Branding (Bronze)
Sime Darby GoFresh – Packaging (Bronze)

2009
Singapore Design Awards
NTUC – Brand Identity (Gold)
Changi Airport Group – Brand Identity (Merit)
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore – Brand Identity (Merit)
My First Skool – Brand Identity (Finalist)
Olam – CSR Report (Finalist)

2007
Singapore Packaging Star Award
CHNG Kee’s Spice of Life

2006
SRA Retail Awards
Best New Entrant of the Year – Chng Kee’s Spice of Life (Sentosa)

2005
Star Brand Awards
Boncafe I-café Instant Coffee (Singapore)
Boncafe I-café Instant Coffee (Asia Gold)

Singapore Iconic Design Award
OCBC Bank

2004
Star Brand Awards
Chng Kee’s – Packaging (Singapore)

2002
Singapore Promising Brand Awards
Most Distinguished Brand (Product Category) – Chng Kee’s (1st)
Most Distinguished Brand (Service Category) – Kingsmen (1st)

2000
Hong Kong Design Awards
Del Monte Pacific
ABC Stout

Singapore Annual Report Awards
DBS Bank

1999
Singapore Annual Report Awards
Singapore Airlines Limited
DBS Bank

1998
Singapore Annual Report Awards
Singapore Airlines Limited

1997
Singapore Annual Report Awards
Singapore Airlines Limited

1996
Singapore Design Awards
Dragon Brand Bird’s Nest

1995
UK DBA Design Effectiveness Award

Monsoon (Gold)