Social Mixer 2024 Singapore
marketing interactive Content360 Singapore 2024 Content360 Singapore 2024
M&C Saatchi Malaysia appoints Nisha Devina Roy as MD

M&C Saatchi Malaysia appoints Nisha Devina Roy as MD

share on

M&C Saatchi Malaysia has named Nisha Devina Roy (pictured) to the newly created role of MD, months after Yew Pong Hor was named ECD earlier this year. As MD, Roy will be overseeing M&C Saatchi’s portfolio of clients ranging from Celcom, BOH Tea, Ford, Hong Leong Bank, MBSB, MDEC and Etika.

CEO Lara Hussein told A+M that Roy's first order of business is to strengthen M&C Saatchi's strategic product, strategic data and analytical capabilities since that's her forte. At the same time, she is also challenging Roy to identify new sources of growth in existing and new business, as well as to recruit and retain talent. 

Roy was formerly regional head of integrated strategy and content at GrowthOps and was previously with the agency for three years. According to her LinkedIn, she has also worked at Havas Group Vietnam, APD, and Naga DDB. Roy brings with her 14 years of extensive experience ranging across a variety of industries from telco, banking, FMCG, and automotive.

She told A+M that there are three main learning lessons which she will apply in her new role, with the first being that happy, engaged people drive innovation and make great products. "Next, do what is necessary - get your hands dirty, be in the trenches then lead your team out of it. The third is to read beyond the obvious - sometimes conventions need to be challenged," Roy added.

Roy also said that it is a privilege to be given this opportunity to apply my experiences in creative marketing and technology. "Armed with my toolkit – I’m confident we’ll power innovation through creativity - but more importantly, to evolve and position M&C Saatchi as a place that creates meaningful change for our clients," she added. Her arrival comes as the agency is seeing upward growth, and the trend is expected to grow from strength to strength.

Meanwhile, Lara (pictured below) said she is really excited to welcome Roy to the management team. "She possesses a solid holistic skillset ranging from strategy, digital marketing, and account management, and together with her business acumen, she will complement and strengthen our current team even more. Not to mention her infectious energy and passion will be welcomed by everyone here," Lara added. 

larahussein

According to M&C Saatchi, the addition of these senior leaders continues its momentum, as it aims to be a distinctive agency for the future. Roy will join an already strong and diverse management team with a focus on evolving, integrating and growing the agency forward. 

"My new plans for the agency have been shaping up well so far because we have had really good momentum and there was also growth during the last three months. We are on target. The stability of our creative department is good and we are hiring more talent," Lara explained. She added that the team is strengthening its creative product which has also driven good momentum.

In a previous statement to A+M, Lara said the agency had to realign with strong creative drivers and indefatigable talents. When asked about the type of talent and skills the agency is looking for, she said that from a macro level, M&C Saatchi has strengthened its management team and will bring on board a new head of strategy on 1 September.

On the next level, Lara is strengthening the agency's key operations team and beefing up its content production arm, Watermelon Productions. "We also want to look at digital, especially with Roy coming in, and how we can strengthen our digital offering," she said. 

It is known that the adland often struggles to retain talent. Lara said the ad industry "should be blamed for not making the idea of joining advertising sexy and attractive". "As an industry, we need to come together and position ourselves as an attractive and sexy career option for graduates. We need to work with clients to do that also," Lara said.

She explained that this issue is a double-edged sword because agencies need to offer attractive remuneration but they can't do it if they can't afford it. "Clients need to appreciate that talents cost money and are expensive. They need to value talents too. We need to rebuild the prestige and glamour of the adland in the 80s and 90s. We are turning them away and they are joining start ups," Lara said.

One way to draw younger talent, according to Lara, is for agencies to set themselves apart from the competition with smart employee branding and have a well-defined culture and values. In M&C Saatchi's case, the agency has internship programmes with universities, both local and in the UK, and is also accepting interns from various backgrounds, including history, engineering and politics. "We don't just limit ourselves to marketing or mass communication. We want to create a diverse pool of talent and I welcome them from different backgrounds," she said. 

Related articles:
M&C Saatchi Malaysia names new ECD
Beam Suntory extends digital partnership with M&C Saatchi Performance
Ali Shabaz named M&C Saatchi creative chief, Madina Kalyayeva takes MD role
Mobile Premier League extends M&C Saatchi Performance's digital remit in Indonesia
MDEC hands marketing duties to M&C Saatchi and Invictus Blue
M&C Saatchi resists takeover bid by non-executive director Vin Murria
#AOTYawards SG 2021 spills: Why M&C Saatchi Performance's power lies with its people
M&C Saatchi unveils SEA hub with SG, MY and ID leaders, integrates Performance unit
Founding leaders and partners exit M&C Saatchi SG

 

 

share on

Follow us on our Telegram channel for the latest updates in the marketing and advertising scene.
Follow

Free newsletter

Get the daily lowdown on Asia's top marketing stories.

We break down the big and messy topics of the day so you're updated on the most important developments in Asia's marketing development – for free.

subscribe now open in new window