GO Communications enters 2022 with beefed up leadership team

GO Communications solidified its leadership team entering into 2022. Sheree Qua, who has been with the agency since its inception, is now GM and CFO. Meanwhile, Choulyin Tan has been elevated to communications director, client services director at-large. Also joining GO's core leadership is Zalfian Fuzi, who will leverage on his extensive marketing background as communications director, business development.

Meanwhile, Lim Huei Yuih, who began her career at GO as an intern seven years ago has been promoted to brand director, leading her own client servicing team. At the same time, Laura Kang has taken on the reign of the agency's digital team as digital director, leading its growing portfolio of accounts. Fresh into GO's leadership lineup as art director is Leonard Lee, who brings with him a wealth of global experience and expertise. Meanwhile, GO's chief editor, Sanjay Jacob, will helm the agency's editorial team while Tham Yin Ling has been promoted to senior finance and administration manager.

CEO Peter de Krester said despite a number of challenges brought about by a relentless pandemic, 2021 was a decent year for the agency. "Besides rising to the occasion, the team has also shone through by producing some of our best work for our clients to date. I have always maintained that we have the best team of colleagues in the industry. Our fortified leadership team, or ‘cabinet’, strikes the perfect balance between a number of senior colleagues and new hires, charting a dynamic course for the agency moving into 2022 and beyond," he said.

Additionally, the agency also saw a marked increase in client activations across the board with an array of new clients and brands, including Eastern & Oriental, iQiyi, Lyre's, and Linc KL. The year also saw the agency increasing its scope of work with existing, longer-term clients, including Moët Hennessy Malaysia, GoPro, Nobu Kuala Lumpur, Coway and Sim Leisure Group, a themed attraction specialist for which the agency manages communications across a number of the group’s brands including the ESCAPE brand of themed parks and KidZania Kuala Lumpur.

During the height of the pandemic, which saw companies scaling back their operations and laying off staff, GO not only maintained all its staff, salary and benefits, but also almost doubled the size of its now 50-strong workforce. In an atypical bid to boost company-wide efficiency and productivity while promoting a work-life balance, GO also implemented a four and a half work-day for all its colleagues.

De Krester won the gold award for the inaugural Agency Leader of the Year category at A+M's 2021 Agency of the Year Awards. GO also took home the silver award for the PR Agency of the Year category as well as the Local Hero award. It also won bronze for Consultant of the Year and Experiential Marketing Agency of the Year.

The agency also picked up several MARKies titles at the event, which celebrates the most innovative, creative and effective campaigns and projects. These include Most Creative Influencer campaign, Most Creative PR campaign, Most Creative Content Marketing campaign and Most Effective Use of Events; for numerous campaigns and initiatives for a number of the agency’s clients, including Coway, Modanisa, Moët Hennessy Malaysia and GoPro.