Edelman names John Koay as new regional ECD

Singapore – Global communications firm Edelman has appointed John Koay, former executive creative director of creative agency Ogilvy, to be its new regional executive creative director (ECD) for Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand. 

Koay brings over 17 years of experience. He has worked at several of the large creative networks and produced award-winning disruptive campaigns that have resulted in business growth for brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Nike, Toyota, Panasonic, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Nestle, and Kellogg’s, as well as Johnson & Johnson, and Heineken.

In his new role, Koay will leverage his integrated thinking and channel-agnostic creativity to further enhance Edelman’s ability to deliver work that is rooted in culture. He will also be tasked with leading the firm’s creative team, as they develop earned creative for clients across its offerings.

Commenting on his new role, Koay said, “By embedding creativity and other integrated solutions into the core of its offerings, the agency’s work truly stands out in resonating with local audiences. I am looking forward to partnering with the talented team to continue pushing the envelope for what clients can achieve with the power of creativity.” 

Meanwhile, Tim Green, Edelman’s chief creative officer for APAC, shared Koay is an industry renowned creative maverick with an impeccable track record of delivering disruptive work.

“He joins us at a time when more and more clients are turning to us for creative solutions that swiftly respond to their business challenges and resonate with their consumers or audiences in a digital age. John is the epitome of multiculturalism and global thinking, while being fluent in the language of CMOs,” said Green.

Most recently, Edelman has also announced the appointment of Jamshed Wadia as its newest vice chair for digital in APAC, where he will be responsible for overseeing the firm’s growing digital practice and Edelman Studios’ operations in the region.