James Bernardo leaves Bates Philippines to join SM Supermarkets

Bernardo said he decided to leave Bates to experience "the other side of the fence".

"I always wondered how it would be like to work in the marketing department of a big company," he said. "I also want to learn the business side of things so I would be more prepared to head an agency in the future.”

Bernardo was appointed a year ago, following Joey Ong’s departure from the company to take on the ECD role at DDB Philippines.

“I'm happy for him,” Mitos Borromeo, business strategy and new business consultant of Bates Philippines, said. “We don't stop any employee from leaving if he or she is moving for his own personal growth. You can only wish them well.”

Following Bernardo’s departure, Bates has appointed Noah Valdez, Bates’ former associate creative director who left for Tribal DDB several months ago to become creative director.

“Noah is familiar with our clients and our culture, so there's no down time in the transition from James to Noah,” Borromeo said. “Noah is young, but is a good leader and is interested in all things creative. We're looking forward to a revitalised team as Noah takes over the creative department.”

With 20 years of advertising experience, Bernardo started his career as a copywriter at Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, working on accounts such as Ayala Land, Petron, Purefoods and Safeguard.

He was then appointed as the creative group head at Lintas (now Lowe) in 1993, where he rose to creative director. Later, he returned to Ace Saatchi & Saatchi and became global base unit head creative for P&G's Safeguard brand in Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

He then worked in Saatchi & Saatchi Jakarta, BBDO Guerrero Ortega and Ogilvy & Mather.