What Shift does

Shift is a privately held strategic branding agency (legally Shift Limited, doing business as Shift Partners) founded in 2008 and headquartered at 99 Duxton Road in Singapore, with additional offices in Melbourne (700 Swanston Street, Carlton) and Hong Kong (1B Kimberley Street, Tsim Sha Tsui). The firm positions itself as a strategic branding partner for enterprise financial services companies, organizing its offering around three named engagements: Modernization (transforming legacy brands), Innovation (launching category-defining new propositions such as digital banks and fintech platforms), and Activation (turning customer transactions into ongoing relationships through content, loyalty, and platform experiences). Its client roster spans tier-one global banks and payments networks (Citibank, HSBC, BNY Mellon, Standard Chartered, UOB, QNB, Visa, Mastercard), insurers (AIA, Chubb), digital banks (GXS, the Grab-affiliated digibank), and government/telecom/healthcare accounts (Singapore Government HealthHub, Maxis, Hotlink).

The firm sells project-based strategic and creative engagements rather than software products, with no proprietary technology platform, SDK, API, or app disclosed in the source data. Its core technology is described as 'not applicable' - a professional services model. Service delivery covers brand purpose, architecture, visual identity systems, web design and development, campaign development and production, content creation, animation, packaging, and brand guidelines/training. Documented project outcomes include a record $15bn in net new money for Citi Citigold in the first six months after the 'There's More To Wealth' rebrand, attraction of over 2 million monthly visitors to the Citi World Privileges platform spanning 90 countries, and unification of 60 million HSBC debit and credit cards under a single design system rolled out across more than 30 countries. The firm also reports 999+ completed projects in its portfolio.

Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales, led by named regional partners who manage client relationships and handle new business inquiries (Zoran Svetlicic in Singapore, Toby Johnston in Melbourne, Pearlyn Goi as Associate Partner in Hong Kong; founder Toby Triggs Johnston anchors the firm). Pricing is custom-quoted per engagement and not publicly disclosed. Beyond financial services, Shift has extended into food and beverage innovation (Vivici protein ingredients, Very Dairy animal-free milk, Frites Belgian brewhouse), personal care (Omno sustainable brand), and technology (Hapana SaaS, Dedoco blockchain). In 2023-2024 the firm supported the launch of permanent retail outlets for Omno at Orchard Road, Changi Jewel, and New Bahru, indicating a buildout beyond pure upstream strategy into brand commercialization. No external investment, M&A, funding rounds, or parent company involvement are evidenced.

Name

Shift

Legal name

Shift Limited

Website

https://shiftpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shift is a Singapore-based, partner-led strategic branding agency serving enterprise financial services companies, with regional offices in Melbourne and Hong Kong and a portfolio spanning global banks (Citi, HSBC, BNY, Standard Chartered, UOB, QNB), insurers, and selected consumer brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Strategy & Design Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Marketing Transformation & Change Management (MPAAAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Organization Design & Change Management Consulting (BPAHACAD)

Keywords

• Strategic branding services
• Financial services branding
• Brand identity design
• Visual identity systems
• Brand campaign development

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shift is a strategic branding partner for financial services companies, delivering brand purpose, brand architecture, visual identity, campaign development and production, content creation, web design and development, packaging design, and brand guidelines. Engagements are organized around three offerings: Modernization (transforming legacy brands), Innovation (launching new propositions for digital banks and fintechs), and Activation (building loyalty platforms and engagement experiences).

Product overview

Shift is a strategic branding partner for financial services companies offering comprehensive branding services. The company provides brand strategy, visual identity design, web design and development, campaign development, content creation, and packaging design. Their portfolio includes case studies showcasing work for major financial institutions (Citigold, GXS, QNB, HSBC, Citi World Privileges, Citi Women), fintech platforms, telecommunications companies (Maxis, Hotlink), healthcare (HealthHub), food and beverage brands (Very Dairy, Vivici, Frites, OMNO), and technology platforms (Dedoco, Hapana). The company operates from offices in Singapore, Melbourne, and Hong Kong.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Branding Services Comprehensive strategic branding offering for financial services enterprises, encompassing brand purpose development, brand architecture, visual identity design, campaign development and production, content creation, brand guidelines, brand training, web design and development, and packaging design.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record $15bn in net new money for Citi in first six months after 'There's More To Wealth' brand campaign launch
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Interbrand: Global strategic branding consultancy with deep financial services client roster (HSBC, Citi, JPMorgan, Visa historically). Operates the same brand strategy, identity, and naming services that Shift offers, but at significantly larger global scale.
• Landor & Fitch: Premier global branding agency with extensive financial services portfolio (Standard Chartered, Visa, Mastercard, Bank of America). Directly comparable in offering — brand strategy, visual identity, brand architecture — and a primary competitor for enterprise FS branding mandates.
• FutureBrand: Interpublic-owned global brand consultancy with strong financial services practice (HSBC, UBS, Standard Chartered). Competes for the same enterprise branding engagements as Shift, particularly for cross-border mandates.
• Wolff Olins: Global brand consultancy with marquee financial services clients (Visa, HSBC, PayPal, NYSE). Competes for strategic brand positioning and identity work at the enterprise tier that Shift targets.
• Siegel+Gale: Global strategic branding firm focused on brand simplicity, with substantial financial services experience (Bank of America, Citi, HSBC, Wells Fargo). Comparable offering in brand strategy, identity systems, and naming.
• Brand Union (Superunion): WPP-owned brand consultancy working with global financial services clients (HSBC, Visa, Mastercard). Directly comparable in strategic branding, visual identity, and brand architecture services.
• R/GA: Global brand and experience design agency with significant financial services work (HSBC, US Bank, Mastercard). Comparable in delivering integrated brand systems, digital experience, and campaign work for FS clients.
• Pentagram: Independent multi-disciplinary design firm working on identity, branding, and brand systems for financial and corporate clients. Comparable in craft-led branding work and partner-led delivery model.
• MetaDesign: Global branding and design consultancy with deep financial services experience (Deutsche Bank, UBS, Visa). Comparable in strategic brand systems and identity work for tier-1 financial institutions.

Emerging players

• Jellyfish (Brandgym): Digital-first brand and marketing agency with growing financial services and fintech practice. Less established in tier-1 FS branding than Shift but increasingly competitive in fintech and digital-bank rebranding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shift-partners
• Instagraminstagram.com/shiftpartners
• Xx.com/shiftpartners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shift