4As Malaysia re-elects Andrew Lee as president

The Association of Accredited Advertising Agents of Malaysia (4As) has re-elected Andrew Lee (pictured), managing director of Havas Immerse for a second consecutive term. Meanwhile, Khaidi Kamaruddin, founding partner of ad agency Bulb Communique, was elected vice-president. Khaidi has over 10 years of experience in the ad industry. Both Lee and Khaidi will work with other council members and Dato’ Johnny Mun, managing director of Oxygen Advertising and 4As senior advisor, as well as Khairudin Rahim, CEO of 4As, to accomplish the association’s objectives. The election also sees the induction of nine new council members which include BBDO Malaysia, Crush Communications, Ellipsis Asia, Hakuhodo Malaysia, Grey Worldwide, Publicis Communications, Naga DDB, Oxygen Advertising and TBWA\ Kuala Lumpur. All council office bearers will serve for two years. Lee said the 4As will continue to pursue its five primary goals which are providing industry guidance and leadership; raising industry standards and professionalism; fostering continuous professional development for the attraction and retention of agency talent; promoting commercial creativity and its effectiveness; and serving as the government’s principal information source and advisor on advertising. “Under our stewardship, the 4As Council is resolute in our focus on advocating the value of Advertising Agencies amidst the constantly changing nature of the marketing communications industry, and to do so we must welcome new personalities with fresh perspectives in leadership roles,” he added. Lee also said that Khaidi's invaluable expertise and know-how as a seasoned pro in the advertising industry will be key in contributing to the acceleration of 4As initiatives and missions. The association also aims to continue nurturing the advertising sector as a force for good and a driver of economic growth, whilst working closely with various government ministries, regulatory bodies, tertiary institutions, and the business press. In 2018, the 4As continuously advocated against unethical pitch demands where rogue advertisers demand ownership of agency ideas and work, and earlier this year, said that such demands still exist despite "concerted efforts" to curb them. Read also: ‘Unethical’ pitch demands still exist despite ‘concerted efforts’ to curb them, says 4As How agencies can overcome ‘unethical’ pitch demands Marketers: More awareness needed to curb unethical pitch practices in Malaysia