Hakuhodo Singapore names local managing director

Hakuhodo Singapore has appointed Andy Tan Heok (pictured) as its new managing director. He succeeds Taro Muto who hails from Hakuhodo Inc Japan and will be tasked with charting Hakuhodo Singapore’s strategic new direction by incorporating local depth, Japanese flair and global might, the agency said in a statement. 

Tan, who is also the executive creative director and chief strategist of The Thinc Group – a Singapore-based creative consultancy he founded in 2003 and that was acquired by Hakuhodo Inc in 2017 – will concurrently hold both portfolios in the management of the two agencies. This will give him the opportunity to harness greater synergies between both agencies to elevate creativity and operational efficiencies.

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Tan enters the role with a career that spans over 28 years, beginning when he was a copywriter in 1998 at The Ad People. He moved on after three years to helm the role of creative director at Design At Work before going on to start The Thinc Group in 2003. 

With his experience in the local creative scene, Tan aims to propel local growth for Hakuhodo Singapore, strengthening its creative roots in Singapore, where the agency has been established since 1973. He will also tap on Hakuhodo’s global network of agencies and clientele in his new role. 

“As I enter a new stage of my career with an exciting new role, I hope I can use all my experience in the creative arena to lead Hakuhodo Singapore into a new stage of its growth as well,” said Tan. 

Commenting on Andy’s appointment, Shuntaro Ito, president and CEO of Hakuhodo International, said this is a further example of how the parent Hakuhodo company supports the marketing and communication efforts in a multitude of countries and categories. “Regardless of country, we will continue exploring and responding to a new, post-pandemic world. Tan will help us deepen our local roots in Singapore and expand our local portfolio, while continuing to grow our regional clientele.” he said.

The news comes shortly after Hakuhodo Hong Kong named Phyllis Lam as its new head of media overseeing the media department, succeeding Cedric Lam, who has stepped down for his own pursuit. In her role, she will report to Yoshinori Mitomi, CEO and CMO of Hakuhoho Hong Kong. In her role, she will oversee the media stream for media planning and buying for online and offline media.

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