TSLA hires Iris' Sorcha John, names Min Ng GM as Richard Bleasdale exits

The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) is shuffling its leadership team, naming Sorcha John as managing partner and Min Ng as GM, as MD Richard Bleasdale steps down from his post. Bleasdale (pictured left) joined the team one year ago, bringing over 30 years of experience as both a global agency leader and counsel to C-level clients around the world. He was previously principal consultant at The Observatory in Asia Pacific, which ceased operations in October 2018 in Singapore.

In a statement to Marketing, Bleasdale said: "In terms of next steps for me, I am currently looking at several opportunities within the agency sector in Singapore, and will likely have an announcement on my next step within the coming weeks."

He added that time flies when one is having fun. "It has been a wonderful experience being part of TSLA. I am happy to step back at a point where the agency has such positive momentum. As a huge fan of both Ng and John, I know they are more than capable of leading the agency to even greater success," he said.

Meanwhile, John (pictured centre) joins from Iris Worldwide where she spent over 11 years. She most recently led Iris Future Strategy in Asia Pacific, a newly launched global, strategic discipline focused on navigating the "long-term transformational shifts" that will impact and "enable businesses to thrive in a rapidly changing world". Prior to that, she was the MD, a role which she took on in 2017. 

She told Marketing that TSLA is one of Asia's most formidable creative companies, so it is inspiring to be joining the leadership team at such a time of global flux, where bright, creative and multidisciplinary minds are needed more than ever.

Ng (pictured right) has been with TSLA for close to six years and was taking the helm on brands such as Tiger Beer, Netflix, NHB and POSB before assuming her most recent role as head of talent. Both John and Ng will work alongside TSLA’s existing leadership team in Singapore with a focus on the group’s growing creative footprint in Asia together with Mother in Shanghai, New York, LA and London. Marketing has reached out to TSLA for additional information.

TSLA's founder Nicholas Ye said the agency is incredibly grateful to Bleasdale who leaves TSLA in a great place and continue to build on positive momentum with the team, its work and its family globally at Mother. He also told Marketing that Bleasdale was pivotal in helping the agency strengthen its financial core at a time where it was expanding its business beyond advertising and into the realms of consulting, research, design, and most recently, events.

"We are fortunate to have both John and Ng along on this ride and cannot wait to see what they will do here," Ye said. 

Meanwhile, regional CEO of Iris APAC, Luke Nathans, told Marketing that it is thrilled to see John enter the next phase of her career and wishes her all the best in her future endeavours. "We would like to thank Sorcha for her incredible contribution to Iris over the last 11 years. Starting with us just after graduation and leaving us as one of the global leads of our Future Strategy offer. Her ambition and smarts have been key to some of our brightest moments," he added.

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