$Leadership shuffle at TBWA\SG as Ara Hampartsoumian and Andy Grant resign$

Leadership shuffle at TBWA\SG as Ara Hampartsoumian and Andy Grant resign

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TBWA\Asia has promoted managing director Mandy Wong to president of its Singapore operations as Ara Hampartsoumian resigns as CEO. Meanwhile, TBWA\Singapore ECD Andy Grant, who has been with the team in 2019, is also leaving and the agency.

Hampartsoumian (pictured left) has held the role since 2019, and has been with the agency for over eight years. He joined TBWA\ from BBH in 2014 as managing director and was responsible for new business opportunities for both Singapore-based and international companies, as well as overseeing existing client activity for the agency. He also played a key role in helping the agency win key accounts including Singapore Airlines, Singapore Tourism Board, IKEA and Spotify.

He has more than 25 years of experience in the adland working in markets including Canada, the US, and the Bahamas.

With the new appointment, Wong (pictured second from right) will take on the leadership role of the agency with Alrick Dorett (pictured second from left), chief operating officer TBWA\Singapore and Malaysia and chief pricing officer, TBWA\Asia. According to the agency, Wong and Dorett bring together a deep and diverse set of competencies, backgrounds, and business perspectives. Wong’s focus will include client engagement, new business, talent and expanding TBWA’s creative competencies. Dorett’s focus will include innovation and technology-driven transformation, operations, finance, and commercial strategy.

TBWA\Asia president Sean Donovan said the change is an opportunity for the agency. "Time and again, the agency’s ability to respond to and grow from rapid change has been central to its success. Wong and Dorett have demonstrated over the last several years that they are the ideal candidates to step up and lead our agency into its next great chapter. We’re thrilled both have accepted their new leadership role," he added.

“Hampartsoumian has been part of the leadership team at TBWA\Singapore for eight years, first as MD then as CEO. We thank him for the contributions he has made to the growth of our people, our clients and our collective. He leaves with our very best wishes," Donovan said. He added that TBWA\ is fortunate to have incredible depth of leadership, not only within the Singapore agency, but within Asia and globally.

"This continued commitment and investment in training and developing of our people across all our critical roles has ensured TBWA\Singapore is set up for success under the leadership of Wong and Dorett. We wish them well, and we thank Hampartsoumian and Grant for their contribution to TBWA\Singapore," Donovan added.

On the creative front Asheen Naidu, who has been with the firm for over two years and held the role of deputy ECD, has been promoted to ECD and will now oversee the creative department. He will join the Asia creative leadership team and will continue to work with Perry Essig, who returned to Asia as chief creative experience officer. His predecessor Grant (pictured right) had joined the team in 2019 following a global search.

Along with the changes, Emmanual Sabbagh, chief strategy officer at TBWA\Asia, will also now be leading the Singapore planning department. Before moving to Asia in July, Sabbagh was chief planning officer at TBWA\Paris and global planning director for the agency’s McDonald’s portfolio. He is based out of Singapore.

The agency recently parted ways with Standard Chartered after 18 years as its global creative agency. The pitch was first called in February and the key markets covered Singapore, Hong Kong, London, and the Middle East. The bank previously said that it is "thankful to TBWA for its support during the past 18 years to bring Standard Chartered’s brand to where it is today".

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