The Hoffman Agency sets up shop in Malaysia

The Hoffman Agency is widening its global network with a recent expansion into Kuala Lumpur. This is a crucial strategic movement for the agency in the region, bringing its total number of offices in APAC to 10.

Growing steadily, Hoffman Southeast Asia is now a 50-strong team excluding affiliates. Between 2020 and 2022, the operation defied the conditions of the pandemic to grow 149%. According to Hoffman, its focus is on helping global and regional technology and B2B companies solve direct business challenges and build their presence across key Southeast Asian markets.

Malaysia represents a significant opportunity for the technology sector and for the Hoffman agency as a rare technology and integrated marketing communications specialist. Last year, Malaysia's technology sector grew nearly 10%. The Malaysian economy also grew at its fastest rate in over 20 years, with GDP increasing 8.7%.

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Leading the new office as general manager will be Vicky Wong. Wong was formerly head of corporate communications at Digital Nasional Berhad, a Malaysian government-owned entity supporting the proliferation of 5G infrastructure in the country. She has previously held leadership roles at agencies such as Lumos Hill & Knowlton Strategies and Text 100 (now Archetype) and supported an array of multinational brands spanning the technology, corporate, energy, healthcare and consumer sectors.

Wong said that having a physical presence in Malaysia deepens the hub's capabilities which means tech clients in the market can take advantage of diverse knowledge and experience within a single team. “We specialise in helping tech brands enter new markets and build a consistent but localised brand identity across those markets. We see great opportunity to do this for both multinational and local clients and in so doing support the growth of Malaysia’s and Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystems," she added. 

In December last year, the agency appointed Maureen Tseng as managing director of Southeast Asia. Tseng has worked at The Hoffman Agency for more than 25 years, having joined as its first employee in Asia. Her expanded role follows her elevation about a year ago to general manager of Singapore and Indonesia. She worked to form a close alliance between both markets while overseeing a Southeast Asia taskforce and leading a multi-market hub.

She said that economic uncertainty can lead agencies to contract and batten down the hatches. “Instead, we are embracing the opportunity before us and investing in the future of the technology sector. In Southeast Asia we work as one team across Singapore, Indonesia and now Malaysia. This allows us to provide top quality consulting that combines big-picture thinking with nuance and insight unique to each individual market," she said.

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