M&C Saatchi unveils SEA hub with SG, MY and ID leaders, integrates Performance unit

M&C Saatchi has launched its Southeast Asia hub by combining the resources of its most successful offices: Singapore, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur as well as its Performance division. 

Led by Richard Morewood, CEO of M&C Saatchi Asia; Anish Daryani, CEO of M&C Saatchi Indonesia; Lara Hussein, CEO of M&C Saatchi Malaysia; and Kabeer Chaudhary, managing director of M&C Saatchi Performance APAC, the hub is created to make M&C Saatchi more agile and integrated across the region, and more importantly, give clients access to expertise and depth of talent from across the region.

The Southeast Asia Hub will include experienced, creative and strategic leaders from the 3 offices and will be further augmented by specialist divisions: Clear and The Source and supported by a team of over 200 experts in advertising, digital, social, ecommerce, research, performance, and consulting.

According to an M&C Saatchi spokesperson, the hub was created as the agency saw more marketers now looking for agencies with regional footprint and entrepreneurial local leadership with end-to-end solutions under one roof.  With the establishment of the hub, the team is looking to work with regional businesses clients that are looking for an agile, dynamic, entrepreneurial agency partner to help them navigate, create and lead meaningful change.

Morewood added: “We have re-imagined our Southeast Asia business model by pooling in skills and resources across markets as well as our expertise areas in strategy, creative, performance marketing, research and production to service our clients. With the SEA Hub, our clients will have access to brilliant minds across the region as we help them navigate, create and lead meaningful change.”

The Hub will also work closely with its media buying agency, M&C Saatchi Performance, to offer integrated services to marketers who are looking for end-to-end services in the digital realm. M&C Saatchi Performance has in recent times bagged several notable regional clients such as Tinder,  Mobile Premier League Indonesia, and Beam Suntory. The agency also won gold at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s Agency of the Year awards under Mobile Marketing Agency of the year.  

Chaudhary, who was appointed managing director of APAC earlier this year said, “There is a growing trend among marketers who are rebundling their pitches with an aim to develop 360-degree solutions for their branding and performance campaigns. With the launch of the SEA Hub, marketers will be able to borrow from a range of specialisms and expertise, extensive market knowledge and regional synergies across APAC.” 

Recent changes in M&C Saatchi Singapore team

The news of the formation of the hub comes shortly after M&C Saatchi Singapore’s leadership team namely Tanuj Philip, Anthony Khoo, Toh Han Ming, Sangram Sengupta, Katherine Teo and Nicholas Leow, exited the agency to take over ownership of female-focused, subscription-based online platform Dayre. The exit came nine years after the establishment of the agency in Singapore.

When asked if a new CEO will be named for the Singapore market, the spokesperson told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that Singapore is an important market for M&C Saatchi in the region, and the agency will be looking for a new leadership team. However, it is determined to find the best people for the opportunity so, the agency is “in no rush”. In the meantime Richard Morewood, CEO of M&C Saatchi Asia will be overseeing the office.

When asked if the hub was created triggered by the departures, the spokesperson explained that the idea of the hub was in the works and “the announcement of the hub was because we believe it will create a compelling offer for clients.”

“The changing nature of marketers looking for integrated solutions at speed, and our ability to scale businesses by bringing together 200 experts in advertising, digital, social, ecommerce, research, performance, and consulting gave birth to the SEA Hub,” she added.

Meanwhile, M&C Saatchi Malaysia CEO Hussein added that with the new SEA hub, the philosophy is about diversity of thought, strengths and capabilities, as well as creative and critical thinking of a team comprising talented individuals with varying skills, education, background, age and culture to produce richer and inspiring ideas to build upon.

“Diversity is the mother of creativity, and is arguably one of the most important ingredients to spur creative thinking. We all know diverse teams produce richer creative results and greater innovation than all members from the same background. This is what makes us different and creatively strong.”

Daryani added, “M&C Saatchi has built an exceptional talent pool across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, and now we have the opportunity to make them accessible to clients across the region. This multi-disciplinary expertise coupled with the solid leadership in each of our markets makes us a truly integrated agency network.”

Moray Maclennan, global CEO of M& C Saatchi said: “The setting up of M&C Saatchi SEA reflects the changing needs of clients across this most dynamic of regions. The offer is of world-class capabilities and leadership, across the entire marketing landscape, delivering solutions at pace.”