Andreas Vogiatzakis steps down from CEO role at Star Media Group

Andreas Vogiatzakis, CEO of Star Media Group, has stepped down from the role, after first taking it on in August last year. Vogiatzakis (pictured) joined the media conglomerate from Havas Malaysia where he served as CEO for three years. He also served as CEO of OMD Malaysia for close to 10 years.

Vogiatzakis, who is a veteran in the media industry, has worked across numerous media agencies is Asia including Starcom Mediavest in Japan and Mindshare Taiwan. During his appointment, the board said they have confidence in his “past performance record and regional experience in the media industry” and looked forward to him implementing transformation plans. His appointment at Star Media Group came after the group’s six-month search of a new CEO after Wong Chun Wai announced his retirement.

A temporary special committee comprising three non-executive directors of the company - Fu Ah Kiow, Mohd Aminuddin Bin Mohd Rouse and Chan Seng Fatt - will be set up to oversee the operations of the company until a new candidate is identified.

Meanwhile in an internal email seen by A+M, Vogiatzakis thanked Fu, as well as the board of directors for their guidance and support during his tenure. 

"I will also be forever indebted to all my direct reports and the management team for becoming partners in this journey, and for making my time in Star Media Group for the last nine months meaningful, insightful, memorable and a tremendous learning experience," he added.

He also encouraged employees to continue serving Star Media Group to the best of their abilities, to stay true to the group’s vision and mission to inform, inspire and innovate. He also called upon employees to never compromise on their greatness and values and continue to create top notch work.

"It is my conviction and belief that Star Media Group has tremendous potential to be the best company, bar none, in Malaysia and beyond. And it will be, because of each and every one of you. I am proud to have served Star Media Group’s purpose, even for a short period of time," Vogiatzakis added.

Prior to Vogiatzakis taking the role, The Edge also reported Wong Eng Teng, who was Prudential Assurance Malaysia  chief operating officer rejected the post after a counter offer arrived from another company. Meanwhile, following Wong's exit, Star Media Group also created a temporary special committee, comprising three non-executive directors, to oversee the operations of the company.

During his career, Vogiatzakis has served on several industry boards, as president of Media Specialist Association (MSA) and treasurer of Malaysian Digital Association (MDA), and the board of directors of the European Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia (EUMCCI). He has served at several University Industry Advisory Boards for Taylors, INTI, UTAR, PJCAD, and Monash.

In a previous conversation with A+M, Vogiatzakis said regardless of the role you hold, the entire agency ecosystem is facing similar challenges. "Everybody is chasing revenue, and clients are naturally trying to adjust their strategies to save money," he explained. Vogiatzakis added that everyone wants more bang for their buck, as they are looking for a much better ROI and in most cases, the ROI needs to be sales driven.

As such, media owners and agencies must thoroughly understand the platforms and media landscape of today to be more relevant, and give clients the ability to get to where they want. When asked about his personal experience going from the agency side to the owner side, he said that being part of an agency is almost like being a consultant and intermediary between clients and media owners.

"While agencies do not control the platform, they can advise and craft solutions," he said, adding that at the end of the day, it is the media owners which have to ensure that the platforms they offer can do the job.

Vogiatzakis said that joining the Group was "monumental" in him being able to learn and understand the entire ecosystem from another side of the triangle comprising client, agency, and media owner. As such, media owners and agencies must thoroughly understand the platforms and media landscape of today to be more relevant, and give clients the ability to get to where they want. When asked about his personal experience going from the agency side to the owner side, he said that being part of an agency is almost like being a consultant and intermediary between clients and media owners. He added, "What matters is where you can connect with your clients better, more effectively, and more efficiently.”