McCann Worldgroup strengthens digital team in Malaysia

Alec Loh has rejoined McCann Worldgroup as group director, digital strategy and innovation, providing digital and technology leadership across the agency.

With 15 years of multi-disciplinary experience in design, technology, communication media, advertising, and post-production, he was most recently with Draftfcb as business innovation director.

McCann Worldgroup Malaysia has also appointed Ng Teck Yew, Nazri Jamal, and Faizal Reza as creative group head, senior web designer and creative director, respectively.

Kancil award winner Ng has worked in various postings, including Wieden Kennedy, Shanghai and Agenda Solutions. Jamal and Reza, meanwhile, joined from Tribal DDB where they were web designer and creative director, respectively.

Reza was also previously head of interactive design at Ogilvy One Worldwide.

The agency aims to look beyond digital and align technology with brand strategy to fulfill client requirements, by offering a mix of creative, technology, and performance.

“The primary thrust of our forward momentum is about creativity and ideas and how they are expressed in the digital universe,” Tony Savarimuthu, CEO, McCann Worldgroup, said. “We need to be culturally hardwired with the right creative spirit in the first place and be both knowledgeable and insightful of human behaviour and movements before we can make the work count in the digital space. The new hires are an important component in our talent profile.”

McCann Worldgroup Malaysia has produced both digital campaigns and content platforms for key clients including Maybelline, Libresse for SCA, Kraft, Nestle, Book Xcess, and Maxis.

Nick Handel, regional digital director for McCann Worldgroup, said social movements and their interaction with brands via platforms and channels are all hygiene factors.

“We need to move beyond this debate on reach and get to what works creatively in terms of content and ideas to build meaningful conversations and relationships,” he said.

“The new team has also become part of a connected community of 270 digital specialists spanning 16 markets across Asia. With their experience and in-depth understanding of brand story telling in a digital age, I look forward to their contributions to the collective thought-leadership of MCann in Asia Pacific.”

Loh noted that communication agencies should take their cue from software developers and technology companies.

“Creativity and technology platforms are inseparable,” he added. “Our job is to build and implement versatile ideas and technology, and deploy them where people are looking for more engaging experiences.”

“Leveraging technology in a simple and relevant fashion will get us closer to capturing the hearts and minds of consumers today and tomorrow. Technology has changed the lives of the people we call consumers. In terms of our business, there’s just no turning back to the way things used to be,” he said.