Wavemaker SG MD Zachary Lim steps down from role

Wavemaker Singapore managing director Zachary Lim (pictured) has stepped down from the role. As managing director, Lim was responsible for driving the agency's growth as well as oversee operations, country-wide strategy, client leadership and people management, according to his LinkedIn.

Lim has been with Wavemaker for just over seven years, first taking on the role of general manager in December 2017 before rising through the ranks as its deputy managing director in April 2018 and later managing director in February 2019. 

In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Lim expressed his appreciation to GroupM, saying "GroupM gave me opportunities even though I was green behind the ears. They supported my beliefs, visions and guided me. It's allowed me to shine in my role as Wavemaker's managing director." 

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"They took a punt with me, gave me a role I didn’t have that much of experience with, but I did my best always and with the guidance I made it with the accolades I won," added Lim. 

Throughout his 10 years at GroupM, Lim said his proudest achievements include being named as a hall of fame, media mogul by the Association of Advertising and Marketing Singapore, holding strong client relationships over the years and seeing many past staff succeeding in their own right. 

In a LinkedIn post, Lim said that leaving the agency is tough because "it's a decade of memories of ups and down of fighting in the trenches, successes achieved, and laughter had with good people who have your backs." 

"However, as I step out into the world and leave GroupM, I tell myself, be heartened and grateful to know that I had the privilege to work alongside the very best of people, where we pushed each other, and gave the best we have to offer to seek success. These are colleagues, clients and partners, who have become good friends. Reminding myself that this wonderful experience will stick with me for always, it makes it easier to shuffle towards the door," he added. 

In the same post, Lim also expressed his appreciation to the team at Wavemaker Singapore, GroupM, his clients and media partners. 

"One thing I have learnt, is that success will come together as long as we work towards a common goal and support one another. There is everything we can achieve as one. This is not goodbye, this is a see you soon," said Lim. 

Prior to joining Wavemaker, Lim was the general manager at Maxus Global, an associate business director at Havas Media and the head of advertising sales at All Property Media. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Wavemaker for a statement. 

Lim's departure follows a recent departure in China where its CEO Jose Campon departed in October 2024 after four years to pursue new challenges. Campon joined Wavemaker in 2021 from Dentsu where he was APAC client president. He was onboarded by former Wavemaker CEO for APAC, Gordan Domlija, who left GroupM China in January 2023.

Meanwhile earlier last week, GroupM had a global restructuring with Emily Del Greco coming on board as global chief operating officer, Adam Gerhart to global chief client officer, Toby Jenner as global chief business officer and Mark Patterson as global president of GroupM. 

In a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE at the time, GroupM said that the roles reinforce its commitment to collaborating and winning as a unified team. The restructuring is designed to support the delivery of integrated solutions that ensure clients benefit fully too, it added. 

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