Darren Lee returns to M+C Saatchi Malaysia as chief creative officer

M+C Saatchi Malaysia has appointed Darren Lee (pictured) as its new chief creative officer (CCO), to reinforce creativity as a central driver of the agency’s growth across its work, culture and future direction.

Lee, who returns to the agency, brings more than two decades of experience working across leading regional and global brands including Malaysia Airlines, Celcom, CIMB and Axiata. His appointment signals M+C Saatchi Malaysia’s intent to treat creativity not merely as a function, but as a core business capability that shapes how the agency thinks, collaborates and builds long-term value for clients.

Beyond traditional creative leadership, Lee also brings an entrepreneurial perspective shaped by his recent experience as chief brand officer in a start-up environment at Bitazza, an online digital asset management platform. The exposure has strengthened his understanding of how creativity intersects with business realities, new growth models and the need to move with speed and intent, capabilities that are increasingly critical at the senior creative level. Lee officially began his duties as CCO on 2 January. 

Before his four-year stint at Bitazza in Bangkok, Lee spent five and a half years at M+C Saatchi Malaysia as executive creative director and digital group creative director. His career also includes a brief tenure as creative director at &samhoud, four years at Naga DDB Tribal as associate creative director, three years at AdVantage in a similar role, as well as earlier copywriting experience at Ogilvy.

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Lee is a familiar face within the agency, and his return reflects a deliberate decision by M+C Saatchi Malaysia to deepen creativity-led growth at a time when creative thinking is expected to do more than deliver campaigns. According to the agency, creativity today must influence how problems are solved, how teams work together and how new opportunities are unlocked.

Commenting on the appointment, Sharifah Menyalara Hussein, CEO of M+C Saatchi Malaysia, said creativity remains the agency’s primary growth engine. “Creativity is the main driver of our growth, not just in the work we produce, but in how we think, collaborate and build for the future. Darren was a very deliberate choice.”

Lara added that Lee’s familiarity with the agency, coupled with his ability to bridge creativity and business, made him a natural fit. “He’s also a familiar face, someone who understands creativity and business, understands this agency, and can get on with what needs to be done. He brings clarity in thinking, high standards and a lot of good energy. More importantly, he helps lift creativity across the agency, not just in our output, but in how our people think, work together and grow.”

For Lee, the role goes beyond overseeing creative output. Instead, it is about embedding creative thinking into the agency’s everyday operations. “The opportunity here is to treat creativity as a way of operating, not just a function,” he said. “When creative thinking is applied to how teams collaborate, how problems are framed and how the business grows, the work naturally gets stronger.” He added that his focus will be on making this mindset consistent across the agency, building on existing foundations while helping M+C Saatchi Malaysia continue to evolve.

Hor Yew Pong will continue to lead the creative team at M+C Saatchi Malaysia.

Recently, M+C Saatchi Performance named Dinesh Sandhu as country director in Malaysia, reinforcing its commitment to one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital economies. The move marked a new chapter for the agency, which has spent more than a decade building its presence in the market. With a strong local team already in place, the appointment is aimed at scaling the agency’s ability to deliver full-funnel, data-driven performance marketing for both existing and new clients.

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