R/GA SG beefs up creative firepower with Ed Cheong and Joschka Wolf

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R/GA Singapore has appointed Ed Cheong as ECD, replacing Shing Chew, who has joined TikTok as head of creative, Southeast Asia. Cheong (pictured centre) was previously ECD at iris Singapore. At the same time, the agency has also appointed Joschka Wolf (pictured left) to the newly created role of group creative director, experience design. Both Cheong and Wolf report directly to Dorothy Peng (pictured right), VP managing director, R/GA Singapore.

Cheong told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that he looks forward to finally collaborating with the team and R/GA. His first order of business will be to "learn shamelessly" from the team at R/GA, then get to work on "next-level stuff" that he feels the agency is capable of. He also added that rather than upcoming marketing and advertising trends, he is more excited about culture. Cheong called it "the stuff that real people outside the bubble actually care about".

He spent seven years at iris Singapore and when asked about his most memorable experience, Cheong said it was never about one campaign over another. "Rather, it’s the characters that once forged a fearless culture that will be unforgettable," he said. Before iris, Cheong was creative director at DDB for three and a half years and spent three years as creative group head at JWT, now known as Wunderman Thompson). He also previously worked at TBWA\Singapore and RAPP.

Meanwhile, Wolf was previously with Ogilvy for over a decade, across Europe and Asia. He most recently helmed the role of regional creative director, driving experience design and innovation for products and services across the region, namely Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Taiwan, among others.

He told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that he looks forward to "humanising technology through design by blending human-centred thinking with a deep understanding of brand to create a difference". He also said that Web3, blockchain technologies and blending real with virtual realities are just some of the trends he looks forward to.

“Most applications we’ve seen so far barely touch the surface – and I’m excited to keep pushing the boundaries together with R/GA’s outstanding, unique blend of talent,” he added.

According to Wolf, some of his most memorable experiences and campaigns at Ogilvy include rapid prototyping for TOYOTA to rethink mobility for a future without car ownership in Southeast Asia and beyond, collaborating with hospitals in suburban Indonesia on healthcare innovation projects for Sanofi, and transforming the service experience for Bupa Health Insurance by creating digital empathy, specifically tailored to the needs in Hong Kong. Prior to joining Ogilvy, Wolf was with TBWA\ Germany for four years, last helming the role of concept developer and screen designer.

Meanwhile, Peng said: "Cheong and Wolf joining R/GA Singapore is a shot in the arm". She added that she looks forward to Cheong and Wolf boosting and upskilling the agency's capabilities and creating a safe space for the team to do their best work.

Over the years, R/GA has created many innovative experiences, and through this new creative leadership, Peng said she expects that the agency would only create even more impactful culture-changing work that helps businesses and brands make a more human future and tell greater stories. Peng was promoted to her current role last year.

Separately, R/GA APAC named Brady Ambler the executive strategy director of its Brand Design and Consulting unit in February as part of its expansion into Southeast Asia. This is in addition to Ambler's existing role as head of strategy for R/GA's Singapore office. He leads Brand Design and Consulting APAC alongside ECD Ben Miles, who was appointed last year.

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