Laura Ashton
Laura M. Ashton (née Allen) is a Canadian marketing executive based in Singapore. She founded Xunama: Growth-as-a-Service for Startups in July 2018. In November, 2018 she was involved in coaching and training North Korean scientists in entrepreneurial skills in Pyongsong. She had been Asia Pacific Director of Business Development, Marketing & Communications for Baker McKenzie, an international law firm, since early 2016. She served as an independent non-executive director and Chair of the Remuneration and Nominating Committee on the Board of Asia Pacific Digital, an Australian Stock Exchange-listed digital services firm from August 2015  until October, 2017. Asia Pacific Digital was subsequently acquired by Trimantium GrowthOps in August 2018. Ashton was the Singapore recipient of a full scholarship for the Australian Institute of Company Directors International Directors course. She successfully completed the diploma program in 2019. From 2014 until 2015, she was Asia Pacific Regional Marketing Leader at A.T. Kearney, a management consulting firm. From August 2011 until December 2013, she was Vice President, Head of Marketing for Philips Lighting's Growth Markets unit. In 2013, "The Internationalist", a magazine for advertising and marketing personnel, named Ashton to its Asia 50 list of 50  pioneering marketers working in one of the world's most diverse and fastest-growing regions who influence activities from Japan to India. She frequently speaks at public events, including the 2018 B2B Marketing Leaders Forum in Singapore. Other speaking events in recent years include the 2015 Campaign Asia & Content Marketing Institute conference "Content Marketing Singapore", the 2013 iMedia Agency Summit and 2014. Ashton has been a judge for Haymarket/Campaign Asia’s “Asia Pacific Agency of the Year Award” including the 2018 edition, and “Asian Brand Marketing Effectiveness Awards”. She is a member of the Singapore Institute of Directors. Ashton  is also a member of the Singapore chapter of McGill University's alumni association.