DIA Brands MY names new MD as Tania Tai steps down

DIA Brands Malaysia has witnessed a leadership change with Tania Tai (pictured left) stepping down as MD after 15 years. Succeeding her is Razaleigh Zainal (pictured right) who has worked at PNB, MDEC, and Sime Darby Property. 

"In a blink of an eye, 15 years have passed and it was a good run. Honestly, it was not an easy decision for me to move on, but new adventures beckon," Tai told A+M. She added that it is time for her to dabble in new domains, tinker with new experiences, as well as venture and grow in new ways. It is understood that Tai is currently on gardening leave and will officially leave the agency in April.

Meanwhile, Razaleigh told A+M that he has always been on the client-side with a good number of years serving GLCs and FMCGs. Joining DIA gives him the opportunity to share and help connect dots from an internal perspective.

"There are many things that agencies may not necessarily see what clients are wrestling with, and I intend to be that bridge," he added. According to Razaleigh, Tai has successfully built DIA Brands Malaysia from the ground up with the support of CEO and ECD Nigel Smith, and she must be recognised for her excellent work. 

"Not only that we have a strong team but also loyal clients. Now it is my turn to strengthen what she has built. The relationship between brands, consumers, and our world is ever-changing. There are new areas that we can steward with our clients to bring impact, let it be from the digital innovation front to a sustainability perspective," he said.

His first order of business as MD is to get the new office at Petaling Jaya Midtown ready by the end of this month. Razaleigh explained that the team has been working from home for almost two years and they are excited to return to the office. "I look forward to building and sustaining relationships with my team and strengthening partnerships with our clients," he added. Meanwhile, DIA Brands Malaysia's strategy director, Jonathan Bong, is also leaving the agency. It is understood that his next role will be outside of the branding and marketing sector.

DIA was founded in 1995 and has since designed for several brands in Asia including SATS, Changi Airport Group, Peperoni, OCBC Bank, Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm, Puteri Harbour, Treatz Foods, Bali Hai, Bintang Beer, and MSpace at Maybank.

Before joining DIA, Tai was with Brandworks International as director for five years, according to her LinkedIn. She also worked at Lloyd Northover Yeang as senior manager, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts as sales amanger, and PwC as auditor. When DIA first launched in Malaysia, Tai said it was the pioneering years of branding in the country. 

"It was exciting to have charted new ground alongside game changers and visionaries in the market, who have become longstanding friends. I’m truly honoured to have learnt from the best. With each project, there was an opportunity to level up, reframe conversations, reimagine futures and create something remarkable," she explained.

Above all, it is the team that makes a difference. "To all my DIA colleagues, I’d like to thank you for all that you do each and every day. Consultants and designers alike, each hailing from different industries, yet united in their passion for branding. The team synergy and friendships, laughter and joy amidst the storm. These are the moments I will miss and cherish," Tai added.

According to Tai, the Malaysian operations first started as a humble studio in her home along with help from the team in Singapore, which was crucial in getting the team's feet off the ground. Today, Tai leaves DIA with 20 staff based in Malaysia who she describes as individuals "ambitious for [its] clients and optimistic for the world". 

When asked how the branding scene has changed over the past 15 years, Tai explained that although the fundamentals of branding have not changed, just as the hunt for purpose and meaning are as important today, the tools and channels of engagement have evolved. They have become more immersive and experiential.

"The world is infinitely more exciting now as boundaries are blurred online to offline, including emerging playgrounds such as metaverses, TikTok, and live commerce, among others," she said. 

One thing that has definitely changed is the SEO algorithms, thus making unified brand storytelling even more crucial than ever. Not only should the brand voice and messaging be consistent across all mediums, businesses now need to align their branding with Google’s search quality rating guidelines - expertise, authority, and trustworthiness. "Today, the battlefield for brand love lies in the depth of connection and relationship," she said.

Looking to the future, Tai believes that marketers should focus on each generation to see what they truly care about and what resonates with them. Emerging from the pandemic, consumers are holding brands to higher ethical standards with a focus on sustainability and impact. "I believe more innovation is expected in this space to feed the demand for the circular and shared economy. That’s why brands with impact will become the new world order," Tai added.