Duolingo Appoints Pei Ling Ho as Regional Head of Creative for Asia Pacific
Singapore-based leader to steer creative strategy across China, India, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia as the language-learning platform deepens its APAC focus.
On The Move
Duolingo has named Pei Ling Ho as its first Regional Head of Creative for Asia Pacific, marking a significant step in the company’s expansion strategy across one of its fastest-growing regions. The newly created role will be based in Singapore, with Ho tasked to lead creative strategy and execution across key APAC markets including China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia.Ho will join Duolingo’s Global Brand Studio, reporting to James Kuczynski, Senior Creative Director, based in New York. In her new position, she will collaborate closely with country marketing teams and agency partners to build culturally relevant brand moments, partnerships and content designed to deepen audience engagement and enhance the learner experience across diverse markets.
Her appointment highlights Duolingo’s increasing focus on Asia Pacific as a major growth driver for the brand. The company has been steadily strengthening its presence across the region, tailoring its marketing and creative storytelling to suit local cultures, learning habits and competitive landscapes.Ho brings more than 18 years of regional creative leadership experience to the role. Most recently, she served as Executive Creative Director at Publicis Chemistry. Prior to that, she was Global Creative Director, Creative Works APAC at Google, where she led cross-market creative initiatives. Her earlier career includes tenures as Creative Director at Publicis Singapore and Associate Creative Director at R/GA Singapore. She also lists professional proficiency in Mandarin, a capability expected to aid creative strategy across Chinese-speaking markets.
The senior hire comes amid Duolingo’s continued commercial expansion in APAC. In October, the company rolled out Duolingo Ads, a mobile-first advertising platform aimed at helping brands connect with Gen Z audiences through character-led storytelling. The platform leverages Duolingo’s iconic characters across rewarded video formats and native ads integrated into short learning moments.As the company scales across the region, it faces the challenge of balancing local cultural nuances with its globally distinctive brand tone. Ho’s deep understanding of the Asian creative landscape is expected to play a pivotal role in developing campaigns that resonate locally while reinforcing Duolingo’s playful yet purposeful identity.
