#AOTYAwards 2021 spills: Walk the talk in elevating employee experience, says ForwardPMX

ForwardPMX (becoming Assembly) is a global brand performance agency with over 20 offices across the globe. It provides brands with a unified global vision, and the local depth and expertise to engage fast-moving customers, everywhere around the world. Among the list of brands the agency has worked with include Ferrari, Hong Kong Disneyland, Johnnie Walker, National Heritage Board and Resorts World Singapore. In addition to being shortlisted as a finalist for Performance Marketing Agency of the Year at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's AOTY Awards 2021, its employee, Noella Wee, clinched bronze for the Rising Star category. 

Forward PMX's regional client vice president Marilyn Yeong (pictured) told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that employee growth and retention is paramount for it to rise as a whole, especially during trying times like the pandemic. To this end, the agency has implemented several initiatives, including an internal global awards program, RiseFP, which recognises individual talents who have embraced our global values in their everyday work; nominated by fellow employees themselves; and a regional committee focused on elevating our employee experience.

This interview is done as part of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s winners' and finalists’ interview series for AOTY Awards 2021. To find out more about the awards, click here.

Tell us what this recognition means for you?

Yeong: The past 12 months have been tough on all of us but I am so proud of our team’s relentless dedication to helping our clients get through these challenging times. The team has not only demonstrated resilience but also innovation, flexibility, and adaptability, no matter what the market situation threw at them. Being recognised at the Agency of the Year awards is proof of the top calibre talent that form the core of our business, and it validates the hard work and integrity the team has put in for the agency.

Our rising star, Noella Wee, has been a tremendous asset and has shown exemplary leadership and professionalism when taking on any challenges. She is truly deserving of this award and we are elated to have the industry also recognise the value she brings.

What makes you proudest about being part of your agency?

Yeong: We may be small and just starting out in Singapore, but we’re definitely punching above our weight. The phenomenal growth of our team’s strengths and capabilities has given us the opportunity to work with an amazing portfolio of client brands such as Marina Bay Sands, Nike, Autodesk and more. It’s a wonderful feeling to see our client relationships grow as they put more trust in us to help them overcome challenges and see us more as strategic partners to help grow their businesses.

Great clients keep the team motivated and always hungry for more, continuously pushing each other for the next breakthrough.

All of this is supported by our truly integrated global network. We work closely with our colleagues from other markets and regions daily, which ensures that we are well-resourced and have the information and knowledge we need to be future facing. The interconnected network also gives us access to industry experts within the company who can provide market-level insights and expertise that we can then use to support our client work. I am so fortunate to work with great talent across the region who are all client-focused and true thinking partners.

What are some of the initiatives you have in place to ensure your staff feel proud to be associated with your agency?

Yeong: As our MD Richard Brosgill once said: “The core strength of our agency is the talent who turn up every day to deliver their best work for their clients”. It’s extremely important to us that our staff is acknowledged and recognised for their amazing work.

One of the most crucial aspects of our business is empowerment. We ensure that every single person right down to the next new joiner has a part to play in shaping the agency – how we work, where we work, what we do, and why we do it. We are well aware that everyone has unique skills and perspectives that they can bring to the table and everyone’s opinions are valued.

It is also a huge part of our agency culture that every employee is proud of our work. The role of our executive management is to support our teams through guidance and resource allocation so that the teams have everything they need to take the lead on their client accounts. We want our staff to have ownership of their work so that they can be invested and feel proud of what they achieve.

We have an internal global awards programme, RiseFP, which recognises individual talents who have embraced our global values in their everyday work. Nominated by our own staff, this award is a celebration of the positive impact that these individuals have on the people around them and letting them know that their hard work is never overlooked.

How are you attracting talent to your agency?

Yeong: Our best testaments are our own happy talents. Their endorsement of our work, culture and people is truly the most effective way to attract quality candidates. Many of our new joiners are often referrals from our own teams, which helps build stronger connections and a cohesive community. We find that those who stay with us the longest are those who already have a deep understanding of who we are and what we want to be.

In the spirit of attracting more talent to support our growth, we’ve created a regional committee focused on elevating our employee experience. This team, headed by our regional VP of organisational development, Edison Woo, looks for ways to give more support to our talent and help them get the most out of their time at the agency. It’s important to us that we walk the walk and show what we do instead of just talking the talk.

What are your hopes from Singapore advertising scene in 2021?

Yeong: It continues to be a challenging and sometimes, uncertain, year, but we’re optimistic that our team in Singapore will continue to strive and do great work. Together, we will come through for our clients and face new horizons in 2022. marketing challenges will be different, but we know that the advertising industry will play a critical part in recovery, innovation and setting new benchmarks.