SPAG sets foot in Malaysia, hires Farah Zuber from Edelman

PR and advocacy firm SPAG has expanded into Malaysia by bringing on board Farah Zuber (pictured above) as business director to lead its growth in Malaysia. SPAG has been supporting Malaysian clients out of Singapore over the past two years, including GE Healthcare and Global Innovation Policy Centre.

In her new role, Farah will work closely with regional head Priyanka Bajpai to grow SPAG's footprint locally. She has more than 10 years' experience in integrated communications and reputation building, having worked with local and multinational companies from a variety of sectors, including digital and technology, oil and gas, energy, telecommunications, healthcare and life science.

Farah was previously with Edelman for more than four years, last helming the role of associate director. She first joined the agency as senior manager, her LinkedIn said. Prior to that, she worked at Arc Worldwide, Emkay Group, and Ogilvy.

In a phone conversation with A+M, Farah said she aims to have at least 10 individuals in the Malaysia office by the end of the year and is looking for individuals who are creative in their storytelling. "Nowadays, PR is no longer like how it was in the past. You need to be creative in your storytelling. I come from an integrated background so I am on the look out for talent who are creative and are knowledgeable about digital," she said.

Farah's business strategy for Malaysia will include targeting both regional and local clients. She aims to continue the relationship that SPAG has formed with its regional clients while at the same time offering support for local companies. While SPAG is known for its expertise in the medical tech space, Farah is also eyeing other industries such as tech and eCommerce. 

When asked how her previous roles help value add to her new role, Farah said she has learnt the importance of forming real connections and keeping up with movements. "It is easy to just think about P&L and getting the money, but being honest and building real connections helps and allows you to go far. At the same time, it is also important to keep abreast of movements, be it industry or brands," she explained.

Meanwhile, Bajpai (pictured below left)  said its expansion in Malaysia is a response to the growing demand by local players for a regional agency that possesses a strong understanding of consumer behavior that, in return, will close the divide between brands and audiences.

"With Farah's experience and knowledge in the local market, coupled with the support of our experts across the region, we are confident that SPAG will be the ideal agency partner for companies in Malaysia," she added.

At the same time, co-founder and managing partner of SPAG, Aman Gupta (pictured above right), said the geographical and practice expansion into Malaysia brings SPAG a step closer to its goal of having a stronger presence across Asia. It is also currently eyeing Vietnam and Taiwan.