CHICAGO —  Freshly merged IPG agency Current Global has expanded its international leadership with senior appointments in the Asia Pacific region.

Carrie Wu and Cherry Tao have been named as co-market leads for China, with Wu based in Beijing and Tao in Shanghai. The VPs are charged with developing the firm’s offerings in China as a means of driving growth.  Wu leads the agency’s corporate and technology practice in China. Tao (pictured) oversees consumer marketing.

In addition, India MD Shashikant Someshwar has added pan-regional responsibilities as the agency’s new VP of business operations for Asia Pacific. Someshwar has been managing director of Current India for more than five years, growing the team to 50-plus across Mumbai and Delhi.

The appointments come roughly eight months after Current Global’s inception, which occurred in April when IPG merged two of its PR firms — US-based Current Marketing and Weber Shandwick unit Creation. At that time, co-CEOs Virginia Devlin and George Coleman (who ran Current Marketing and Creation respectively) said staffing up the agency, while building its leadership team, was a top priority.

“As Current Global reaches its nine-month mark, we are delighted to announce further expansion in China. With our footprint already spanning North America, the UK, Germany, Brazil and India, being able to service clients directly from this vital hub has been a strategic priority from the outset,” Coleman said. Coleman. “Carrie and Cherry bring experience working on complex global assignments, as well as deep local market knowledge. With Shashikant’s proven entrepreneurial skills supporting them in the region, we’re looking forward to growing another stronghold of our business.”