Dentsu Network/Asia boosts creative line up with key creative director appointments in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines

Dentsu Network/Asia has made four new key creative director appointments across the Dentsu team in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The appointments include Ng Heok Seong (Left – Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Singapore), Andy Soong Kok Leong (Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Alpha, Vietnam), Joey Ong (Executive Creative Director, Aspac, Philippines), and Chow Kok Keong (Creative Director, Dentsu Utama, Malaysia).

This announcement follows the appointment of Ted Lim to the post of Regional Chief Creative Officer earlier this year.

Chairman and CEO of Dentsu Network/Asia, Dick van Motman, said: “When Ted and I became partners, we were in agreement that we needed the right kind of creative fire power in each market in order to unlock the full potential of the innovative nature of the Dentsu brand. So, I’m very pleased that Ted has found these four distinguished creative leaders that not only have an enviable track record, but also share the belief that effective advertising should have the power to engage, motivate, and move consumers in any shape or form, ultimately driving the growth of our clients’ businesses.”

Ted Lim said they hunted all over – from Singapore to Istanbul – for creative leaders: “We wanted strategic thinkers with a head for business and a heart for creativity, both bread and award winners. We looked for creative innovators who will bring our clients fame, and the fortune that follows.”

“Our commitment to good innovation and creating work that makes an improvement in people’s lives allows creative teams to push the boundaries of conventional thinking, moving beyond quirky copy and funny visuals. As a result, creativity is a core pillar of Dentsu’s drive to create game-changing campaigns for our clients, alongside media, technology and content,” added Lim.

Ng Heok Seong joins as Executive Creative Director for Dentsu Singapore with over 25 years of experience in brand communications. He was most recently Executive Creative Director at Havas Worldwide in Kuala Lumpur. Under his leadership, Havas broke into the top ten at Kancils for the first time. Earlier at Lowe Kuala Lumpur, Seong picked up numerous awards such as Cannes Lions, One Show Pencils and D&AD to take the agency into the top five. He has also been a jury member at Cannes in 2012 and at Spikes Asia earlier this year.

Another stellar creative brain, Joey Ong (right) takes up the post of Executive Creative Director, Aspac, Philippines. Prior to this, Ong was with DDB Philippines and Bates 141 Manila (now Bates CHI and Partners) for three years each. Ong has numerous awards such as Cannes Lions, Spikes, One Show, and D&AD under his belt. He has also led the creative divisions of TBWA and Publicis JimenezBasic.

Andy Soong Kok Leong, the newly appointed Executive Creative Director for Dentsu Alpha in Vietnam, has worked with some of the world’s leading brands in a career spanning 20 years. Soong was last with JWT Vietnam, where he won one of the country’s biggest accounts – Pepsi Tet. The advertisement was voted ‘Best Tet TVC 2013’ in a consumer study. Earlier at JWT Malaysia, he helped win Malaysia’s first and only Grand Prix at Cannes. At Publicis Malaysia, Soong helped the agency win its first Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, and Clio awards.

Chow Kok Keong (left) leaves TBWA in Kuala Lumpur to take up the post of Creative Director at Dentsu Utama. A highly awarded creative leader, Kok Keong helped take TBWA Kuala Lumpur into the top five agencies in just a year. In his 19 years in the industry, Kok Keong has worked with agencies such as McCann Erickson Singapore and Naga DDB Kuala Lumpur, picking up over 70 international awards.

The Dentsu Network is the first integrated agency network rising out of Asia and over the last year has embarked on an aggressive plan of expansion, with results-driven innovation at the core. At present, the network employs over 1300 staff in 22 offices and 8 countries in Asia.