McCann KL appoints Tan Kien Eng as chairman

McCann Kuala Lumpur has appointed Tan Kien Eng as executive chairman. In his new role, Tan will leverage his vast experience to enhance the agency's capabilities and strengthen its position in the highly competitive advertising landscape.

His focus will be on driving innovation, spearheading new business initiatives, and fostering deeper client relationships to deliver impactful, creative solutions.

Tan brings over three decades of experience in leadership roles across major global agencies. His appointment marks a significant milestone in McCann Kuala Lumpur’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its leadership team and expanding its business portfolio in the region.

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Tan’s extensive career includes serving as the group CEO of Publicis Groupe, group CEO Dentsu Malaysia, CEO Leo Burnett Malaysia and Singapore where he led the agencies to new heights, driving growth, delivered award-winning campaigns for a wide range of clients and establishing it as a market leader. His deep expertise in both creative and strategic business leadership has earned him a reputation as one of the most influential figures in Malaysian creative industry.

The addition of Tan to the leadership team underscores the agency’s commitment to driving innovation and delivering outstanding results for its clients across diverse industries, it said in a statement seen by A+M.

His appointment signals an exciting new chapter for McCann Kuala Lumpur as the agency continues to grow and innovate for a sustainable future. It also marks a significant milestone in the agency's ongoing commitment to strengthening its leadership team and expanding its business portfolio in the region. 

"I am excited to join McCann Kuala Lumpur at a time of transformation and growth for the agency – especially developing strategic partnerships and new commercial ventures," said Tan.

"McCann has an exceptional legacy of creating world-class work, and I look forward to contributing to its future success. Together with the talented team here, I believe we can push the boundaries even further," he added. 

Sean Sim, CEO of McCann Kuala Lumpur, said that Tan "lends much-needed firepower and his vision will be instrumental as we continue to evolve the agency for long-term success." His expertise and industry recognition will add immense value to McCann and our clients alike, added Sim. 

Meanwhile, across the border, McCann Worldgroup SG appointed Dan Parmenter as its new creative director on the multinational accounts of Mastercard, Reckitt, Microsoft and Cisco. He reports to Alfred Wee, executive creative director of McCann Worldgroup Singapore.  

With 18 years’ experience in South Africa, Hong Kong and Singapore, Parmenter will be instrumental in enhancing the agency's creative vision and driving successful campaigns for clients. Parmenter has previously worked with top agencies, including Ogilvy, TBWA, FCB, Y&R and M&C Saatchi and his work has been recognised globally. Some recent highlights include launching Sprite Zero’s first global campaign and finding out that Banksy once called one of his campaigns “a piece of art” on Twitter. 

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