With 25+ years experience in Asia, I’ve built a career shaping brands and leading creative teams. My work spans diverse industries and markets – recognised through over 100 awards. I believe creative only matters when it delivers real strategic value. The growth of the client accounts I’ve built is proof of work that solves real business challenges.
Highlights include building a boutique agency from the ground up to winning The Next Big Thing (Marketing Magazine, 2012), turning complex briefs into profitable brands and creating value for countless brands across Europe and Asia – while raising two sons with minimal bloodshed.
A good day is a day injected with fun, authenticity and turning challenges into opportunities through teamwork and collaborative partnership with clients.
EXPERIENCE
Creative leadership at the intersection of business, design and technology
2024 - Present
Head of Creative
I joined Rebel Owl to shape and evolve its creative vision across a diverse portfolio of local, regional and global brands.
My work sits at the intersection of business strategy, creativity and technology. I focus on developing ideas that are not only compelling but also solve real business challenges and deliver meaningful, measurable impact.
I lead multidisciplinary teams to create digital-first brand experiences, partnering with organisations such as BlackRock, Accenture, AWS, IMDA and Singtel. At the same time, I work closely with growing companies to build new brands from the ground up, helping to define their identity, positioning and direction.
At Rebel Owl, I see creativity as a critical strategic capability to help organisations grow, adapt and lead with clarity in an increasingly digital-first world.
Building an independent agency with impact
2012 - 2022
Chief Creative Officer and Founder
Brilliant began with a simple question from a client: “Why haven’t you started your own agency?"
After two decades in the industry, I saw an opportunity to build something of my own - partnering with someone whose work I deeply respected. Drawing on years of experience, we set out to create an agency grounded in strong thinking, creativity and meaningful impact.
Building Brilliant was challenging but it was also one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made.
Within our first year, we were recognised as “The Next Big Thing” at Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the Year Awards.
Over the next decade, Brilliant grew into a trusted partner for clients across the financial services, automotive, FMCG, insurance, hospitality, entertainment, and property sectors. We delivered work across Asia for Standard Chartered Bank, PropertyGuru, UBS, Tokio Marine, Mazda, MG Cars, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, BBC and Frasers Hospitality.
What I valued was seeing the work create meaningful commercial impact - locally, regionally, and globally. And even more the role our team played in helping clients grow and succeed.
Strategic creative integration across disciplines
2009 - 2012
Executive Creative Head - Integration
As the group expanded, there was a growing need to integrate brands and business offerings across multiple disciplines.
I led Strategic Creative Management across Proximity and BBDO in Asia, ensuring alignment between business objectives and creative output across markets.
My focus was on bridging the gap between mainstream advertising and direct marketing - creating seamless, through-the-line solutions that brought together strategy, creativity and execution into a cohesive whole.
Creative leadership across markets
2006 - 2009
Executive Creative Director
Family considerations led me to relocate to Singapore, where the agency created a role for me to continue growing the Proximity business across Asia.
I took on the role of Creative Lead for Proximity Singapore, working closely with BBDO to drive new business and strengthen key client relationships. This included account wins such as Singtel, Visa, Aviva, Emirates, Citibank, AsiaRooms, and Anlene.
At a regional level, I served as Creative Lead on key accounts including Guinness, Hewlett-Packard and Aviva, ensuring strategic and creative consistency across markets.
I was also appointed to the BBDO Proximity Asia Creative Council, contributing to the development and elevation of the group’s creative capabilities across the region.
Building and scaling regional presence
2003 - 2005
Executive Creative Director and Managing Director
In the final two years of my time in Hong Kong, I took on a broader leadership challenge - establishing Proximity’s first APAC office.
I led the setup and development of the regional hub and went on to support the expansion of Proximity into China, Taiwan and Malaysia.
During this period, I focused on building enterprise-level business across the network, contributing to both account retention and new wins. This included clients such as Huawei, MSN, PCCW, Mercedes-Benz, CNN, Standard Chartered Bank, BOSCH, AIA, DHL and Air New Zealand.
The work strengthened Proximity’s regional footprint and laid the foundation for sustained growth across Asia Pacific.
Leading creative integration and growth
2000 - 2003
Executive Creative Director
There was no way I could resist Asia when she beckoned a second time, culminating in my move back to HK to build and lead the creative department at Rapp Collins.
The role required bringing strong creative focus across a diverse portfolio of clients spanning insurance, finance, hospitality, airlines and FMCG. I championed a more holistic approach to thinking and execution while leading the integration of Rapp Collins with DDB following the merger.
During this period, I exceeded business objectives - driving increased profitability while elevating the standard of creative excellence across all accounts.
London agency leadership.
Driving growth and creative excellence
1997 - 2000
Executive Creative Director for London and Northern Europe
HK was fabulous. But I was shamelessly lured back to London to lead a team of 25 young creatives in a growing agency in London.
I led regional pitches and became the go-to Creative Head for key global clients including Hewlett Packard, Compaq, IBM, Royal & Sun Alliance, Jaguar, and Sky TV - supporting the agency network across Europe, the US and Australia.
Working with a highly energised team, we built strong creative and business momentum, earning the Fastest Growing Agency title in the Financial Times Awards.
This growth accelerated the agency’s trajectory, culminating in a multi-million pound acquisition by the Interpublic Group.
Expanding creative scope
1995 - 1997
Senior Art Director
In the midst of a life enhancing experience (I got married), I took the plunge at work as well and expanded my Art Direction scope at another prominent agency.
This move allowed me to broaden my experience across new industries, including energy, finance, airlines, and hospitality—working on brands such as Caltex, HSBC, Air New Zealand and Marriott Hotels.
Hong Kong. A defining move into Asia
1992 - 1995
Art Director
A much needed 5-week break from rainy London got me to exciting HK.
What began as a temporary working holiday at a respected agency soon became a full-time opportunity I chose to pursue.
I applied my design experience from London to direct marketing across Asia, working on brands including IBM, Dell, De Beers, Hong Kong Telecom and Citibank.
It was also where I met my life partner, making it a defining chapter both professionally and personally.