Global creative collective Forsman & Bodenfors has named Tom Suharto to lead strategy for its New York office. Suharto will touch all agency accounts, which include Saucony, Oatly and YouTube, as well as focus on new business development.
Suharto has spent nearly 15 years working in advertising and market research, with the past nine years at Wieden+Kennedy leading brands such as Nike, Samsung and Facebook. He has broad experience with global markets, having been based in Shanghai for a solid portion of his career.
“In addition to his extensive research and strategy background, Tom brings with him an entrepreneurial spirit that fits nicely within the Forsman & Bodenfors culture,” said Guy Hayward, global CEO of Forsman & Bodenfors New York. “He has a deep understanding of how people interact globally with brands, which will be invaluable as we further grow our existing and new clients.”
Suharto shared, “I get really excited about ideas that impact culture and have spent my career helping brands unleash their voice in ways people actually care about. I know Forsman & Bodenfors shares this vision. I love how committed they are to true collaboration in pursuit of provocative ideas.”
In addition to nearly a decade at Wieden+Kennedy, Suharto spent nearly five years at Hall & Partners as a research director. He also created Airpocalypse, an air quality app designed to help people survive and thrive in heavily polluted China.
A native New Yorker, Suharto is looking forward to returning home after a career forged in Shanghai and Portland. “I grew up just a pizza snob, and now have added xiaolongbao, dim sum, coffee and IPAs to the list of things that I’m annoyingly picky about. So it’s about time to come home.”
