40 Under 40 2025: Lieza Punsalan, Dentsu Creative

Lieza Punsalan

Executive client director
Dentsu Creative 
Philippines

Influenced by her mother, a psychology and values education professor, Lieza Punsalan has made mental health and education cornerstones of her work, right alongside her work with clients. To illustrate: when her colleagues felt isolated during the pandemic, Punsalan provided a platform for employees to share their experiences and work-from-home lives, pioneering the MeFromHome initiative. Such concern has never abated. Punsalan integrates mental health support with skills-building in her talks and leadership sessions.

Since joining Dentsu Creative Philippines, Punsalan’s focus on well-being and self-improvement can further be seen in her launch of Dentsu CommuniTeach, a program aimed at digital literacy and mental health for underserved communities. This initiative gained recognition from the Philippines’ Department of Trade & Industry, leading to partnerships for training small business owners. 

Believing it’s never too late to learn, she introduced Dentsu University, a speaker-led development series,  even enhancing its Account Management 101 program into a Masterclass Summit. Such commitment to workplace education hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2022, Punsalan was awarded the 4As Philippines NextGen for Account Management, and in 2024, she received a special commendation from Campaign Asia Women Leading Change.

Given all these efforts, one might wonder when Punsalan has time for client work. But her leadership style, which prioritises mental health and development, resonates with her team and clients. 

Despite challenging market conditions last year, Punsalan took on new business pitches to increase company revenue, securing five new accounts. Her innovative approach to pitching and unique storytelling led to major wins, including Smart Communications, Burger King Philippines, and Samsung Mobile and Audio Video, contributing 11% to the company's net revenue. Punsalan's leadership also opened pathways for Dentsu to work with HBO Max, securing additional projects and expanding opportunities for other Dentsu offices in the region.