Lara Wallace

Marketing leader with extensive experience in account leadership, stakeholder management, and cross-functional team leadership for global FMCG/CPG and technology/consumer electronics. I serve as the primary agency contact for senior client stakeholders, building trusted partnerships and translating business goals into actionable integrated marketing strategies.

I specialize in shopper marketing, brand activation, retail merchandising, and multi-channel campaign execution, managing large teams across creative, strategy, and operations to deliver measurable business growth for clients. Skilled in aligning the right resources to the right opportunities, I ensure campaigns are delivered on time, on budget, and with strategic precision.

Relocated to Toronto as a Canadian permanent resident, I am eager to bring my global marketing ability, agency leadership, and client-first approach to forward-thinking teams in Canada

Assistant General Manager

Smollan (Thailand) Limited (Previously known as DKSH Smollan Field Marketing Thailand)

February 2023 – July 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand

Head of Brand Activation – Senior Manager

March 2017 – February 2023 | Bangkok, Thailand

DKSH Smollan was a joint venture between DKSH – Asia’s largest market expansion and distribution company and Smollan – a WPP agency, focusing on field retail execution and brand activation. After the disentanglement in 2023, the company has retained the same legal entity, DKSH Smollan Field Marketing (Thailand), and have changed the name to Smollan (Thailand).

Strategic and Client Leadership

• Served as the strategic partner to key clients (Apple, Nespresso and Kenvue), understanding their business challenges and delivering tailored brand activation and instore merchandising solutions that drive shopper engagement and brand performance

Team & Operational Management

• Lead and mentored cross-functional account and project teams (500+ headcount) to ensure high-quality execution, creativity, and operational efficiency for multiple instore merchandising execution and activation projects.
• Managed financial aspects of multiple programs, including budgeting, forecasting, and reconciliation, ensuring accurate financial reporting and program profitability, which resulted in achieving 100% of sales targets

Business Development & Growth

• Provide strategic input and guidance across all major campaigns and pitch presentations with Business Development Team in identifying and pursuing new business opportunities within existing and potential clients.

Responsible for establishing the brand activation department and has been recognized in 2017 for outstanding performance.

Group Client Services Director

CPM Thailand – an Omnicom Company

July 2014 – November 2016 | Bangkok, Thailand

CPM is an award-winning international sales agency specializing in field marketing, activation and experiential marketing solutions with a proven track record of increasing sales and brand awareness for clients by using insight to create influence & drive sales.

• As the senior point of contact for the agency’s customers (Apple, P&G and Coca-Cola), oversaw three dedicated account teams, built strategic operational plans and balanced client expectations. Proactively contacted clients to maintain a consistently high level of service delivery, whilst at the same time constantly striving to identify new business opportunities with them. 

Group Account and Operations Director The Marketing Services Group (TMSG)

August 2004 – May 2014 | Bangkok, Thailand

• Lead in the company collaboration between TMSG and CPM Singapore to form the new CPM Thailand (Omnicom Group). Worked on client pitches with CPM worldwide clients to strengthen Asian presence with Thailand as lead
• Clients Handled: FedEx, Coca-Cola, P&G, Ajinomoto 

Previous roles within TMSG: 

• Strategic Business Unit Director PinQ January 2011 – January 2013
• Account Planning Department Head August 2004 – January 2011

Responsibilities included developing and selling quality, integrated, marketing communications presentations to clients, leading new business presentations and project pitches.

Account Manager

McCann-Erickson Philippines - MOMENTUM

February 2002 – July 2004 | Makati City, PHILIPPINES

• Secured below-the-line activation business from the agency's existing accounts and developed ownable activation platforms. 
• Clients Handled: Sony, Nestle, San Miguel Beer, Coca-Cola, Globe Telecoms 

Group Accounts Head

Multimedia Exponents - Events Circuit

February 1999 – October 2001 | Makati City, PHILIPPINES

• Started as an Account Executive of a start-up, small sized company. Eventually promoted to the Head of the Account Management team. This team handled fifteen different brands with a team client service and project management staff. 
• Clients Handled: Johnson & Johnson (Adult, Skin and Hair), United Laboratories 

Education History

St. Scholastica's College

Jun 1994 – Mar 1998 | Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications

Skills

Strategic Planning | Business Development | Project Management | Client Manageme