SMG appoints Alfred Cheng as regional director, replacing Doris Kuok

Based in Hong Kong, Cheng (pictured) will lead the team and provide leadership on key multi-national accounts including Richemont and UBS.

He will report to Bertilla Teo, CEO of Greater China at Starcom MediaVest Group.

Cheng joins SMG from MEC Hong Kong, where he was deputy general manager, a role he has held since 1997. He had oversight on strategy and communications planning on several of the agency’s key businesses including Citibank, Sony and Sony Ericsson, Colgate-Palmolive as well as DHL among others. MEC Hong Kong has yet have a replacement for Cheng’s role.

Having begun his career in media planning in 1993 and has served in major 4A agencies in Hong Kong such as Ogilvy & Mather and DMB&B.

Campaign Asia-Pacific reported Kuok's resignation on 31 May. As regional director, she had been leading the Richemont and UBS accounts, and also served as general manager in charge of Hong Kong operations. Kuok declined to comment on her next move.

Teo clarified with Campaign Asia-Pacific that the agency has re-structured the role and carved out a 'dedicated role' of regional director for its fast expanding multi-national client list in Hong Kong. “Alfred's role is a newly created role. Hence, it is not a direct replacement. It is in part some of Doris' general management responsibilities.”

“With his extensive experience and acumen for driving leading multinational company brands and accounts, he will no doubt raise the bar for client account servicing as well as our product,” she added.