Anthony Larmon | The Innovator 25 Asia-Pacific 2019
innovator-25-asia-pacific-anthony-larmon

Anthony Larmon

Managing Director

Era Myanmar
Yangon


“It doesn't need to be a giant leap forward every time”


Five years since he moved to Myanmar (“sight unseen”), Larmon sits atop the country’s largest PR player, thanks to an ambitious merger between his Echo outfit and digital consultancy RevoTech. Era is the result of the first agency merger in Myanmar, and reflects not only Larmon’s willingness to defy convention but his tireless commitment to raising standards in a relatively unheralded market. That attitude is not confined to Era’s operations alone; the firm’s work has repeatedly caught the eye of SABRE judges at a regional and global level, helping the firm emerge as one of the world’s most creative PR agencies. 

How do you define innovation?
Doing literally anything better. It doesn't need to be a giant leap forward every time.

In your opinion, what brands and/or agencies are most innovative around PR and marketing?
Weber Shandwick, Grab, AdFactors, UnionPay, Jetstar.

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider 'innovative.'
Taking Myanmar's media monitoring from analog/manual to digital/data-led.

Who do you admire for his/her approach to innovation? 
Baxter Jolly

How do you get out of a creativity rut?
Walk to work and use a different route than normal, or read books/watch a favorite TV show.

What advice would you give to the PR industry around embracing innovation?
See yourself as one of the decision makers (HR, tech, product, etc) — or the glue that holds these people together for the good of the business and community...not a commoditized outsourced function.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing your current job?
Starting up other businesses.

Favorite book/movie/podcast/article that's not related to PR/marketing/business?
Paths of Glory (Stanley Kubrick)

What's your favourite time of day and why?
Between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. Nowhere to be, just waiting or thinking with no one around.