McCann Worldgroup has significantly contributed to brands’ success throughout its decades of providing solutions as a creative agency. With its global network, the company’s capabilities are spread across countries, yet its team in Southeast Asia (SEA) stands out through its work.

Having offices in key markets such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, McCann Worldgroup’s presence in SEA is significant. Still, the agency continues to expand its capabilities to cater to its broad range of clients.

Maintaining this creative momentum has its tricks and tactics, but in MARKETECH APAC’s Agency Leadership Decoded, Nick Handel, president at McCann Worldgroup SEA, shares his strategies to foster a culture of creativity in the agency while it persists through challenges in the industry.

Unveiling the drivers of creativity

Nick has been leading McCann Worldgroup SEA for four years. Throughout his leadership, he has prioritised how the agency promotes creativity, ensuring it is recognised and rewarded within the team.

To sustain the agency’s creative momentum, Nick fosters his three key drivers of creativity: conscious inclusion, collaboration, and client fitness.

“Conscious Inclusion is a philosophy which promotes consistent practices and deliberate actions to foster an inclusive culture. It is through conscious inclusion that we create meaningful experiences for our people and teams, drive better business practices with our vendors and clients, and ultimately, unleash the creative power of our people and our work,” Nick explains.

As Nick shares, collaboration is another crucial aspect that flourishes when different skills and expertise come together effectively.

“We want to create a more integrated and open workplace where the sharing of ideas, skills and efforts isn’t just encouraged but is an intrinsic part of our DNA. Where anyone in McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia – whether they are part of McCann, MRM or CRAFT – can draw from a common well of talent and tools, no matter where they may sit or which logo may appear on their business card,” he said.

According to him, tangible marks of creativity can only be seen if they align with their client’s needs. While these needs evolve, Nick shares how the agency constantly ensures their relationship with clients moves forward.

“In an industry sometimes characterised by its short-termism, we’re proud to count eight clients who have been with us for more than a decade. I’d like to think that constantly assessing our client fitness and our restless search for “what’s next”, has played no small part in that achievement,” he said.

An eye within the agency, the other beyond

Throughout his leadership, Nick has set distinct initiatives to make the agency more effective. In these strategies, he looks both within the agency for the welfare of its employees and outside of it, taking a broader view of its position in the industry.

Citing one of the initiatives for employees, he said, “To create a shared sense of belonging, we launched ‘Day For Meaning’, an annual event where we pause all regular business for one day so that all employees can find the time to create solutions to remove barriers to inclusion.”

He added, “In response to the pressures of modern agency life, we also introduced an innovative annual leave policy. Called ‘Time Well Taken’, the policy allows all full-time staff to take as much additional paid leave as they need, subject to the approval of their managers.”

Building on its client fitness, the agency continued implementing its agency integration model, ‘Open Architecture,’ which groups employees into multi-specialist teams instead of placing them within discipline-driven departments. To further ensure good relationships with clients, the agency engaged in a third-party client satisfaction survey, allowing them to see improvement opportunities.

Last year, McCann Worldgroup SEA also introduced something new to the industry. 

“To ensure the agency is ahead of the curve in new and emerging flavours of creativity, we launched three new service offerings: McCann Content Studios, a culture-first editorial and entertainment studio dedicated to creating content, experiences, and conversations that resonate with today’s fast-paced social landscape,” Nick said.

Besides the studio, McCann Worldgroup also worked on a production automation platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) called ‘XD’ and ‘Hedy,’ a delivery centre specialising in integrating content, commerce, and CRM platforms. The agency also commissions its own research that helps brands and businesses in the region.

Challenges as stepping stones

For Nick, the fast-paced nature of marketing technologies and AI came as both a challenge and an opportunity for McCann Worldgroup. Despite the difficulties in remaining on top of these technologies, the agency continued to leverage them in its operations, helping them achieve new heights and even contributing to their remarkable industry awards.

“We also became the first network to partner with [Ai]magination, the world’s leading AI creative studio. The partnership will grant the agency early and preferred access to [Ai]magination capabilities for real-time content creation and asset support for brand campaigns,” Nick shared.

For other leaders in the industry, Nick leaves the advice of never being too big for small things, as other leaders inspired him to be.

“We’re in an industry that often talks about the importance of big ideas. And whilst this is undeniably true, I think it’s important also for leaders to have the humility to resolve the seemingly small things which, like a stone in the shoe, can have a disproportionate impact on someone’s motivation. As in most service industries, details matter,” he said.

Interestingly, Nick also encourages them to “never eat lunch alone.” 

“Marketing is very much a people business. Its leaders need to be open and approachable – even if (like me) they may often be guilty of dining ‘al desko,’” Nick concluded.

Nick’s leadership at McCann Worldgroup SEA has redefined creativity as a core value. Through his beliefs as a leader, Nick has shaped the agency’s trajectory as a leader of its own kind, helping the individuals within it achieve success with creativity made tangible for its clients. With a focus on collaboration and client fitness, Nick contributes to how McCann Worldgroup is shaping the creative industry in the region and beyond.

Naga DDB Tribal, a Malaysian creative agency part of the DDB Worldwide collective, has long offered its clients marketing and branding services focusing on creativity and innovation. Given how the agency’s vision is deeply rooted in the parent group’s quest for interaction, it’s no wonder that many of its works for clients like CelcomDigi, KFC, The Exchange, SP Setia, Prudential and Unilever thrive in making sure brands make an ‘instant connection’ with their customers.

With such a proposition, how does Naga DDB Tribal continue evolving in a continuously changing market, and how can the agency’s talents grow in creativity and innovation?

In our latest Agency Leadership Decoded, we recently spoke with Farrah Harith-McPherson, chief growth officer at Naga DDB Tribal, to learn more about her leadership style and why it is essential to continue empowering talents, especially women, to make their voices heard and create an impact in the industry.

Making a team feel supported and valued

In her current role, Farrah shares that her leadership philosophy revolves around fostering a culture of collaboration, empowerment, and continuous growth. For her, this philosophy means leading by example—with empathy, authenticity, and a relentless focus on making a positive impact.

“I believe that the best ideas and solutions come from a team that feels supported, inspired, and valued. To me, leadership isn’t about directing—it’s about enabling. I focus on creating an environment where each individual can thrive, encouraging autonomy while providing the tools, guidance, and resources they need to succeed,” she said.

Farrah also explains that she emphasises clarity and purpose in everything they do, adding that for a team to thrive truly, they need to understand the ‘why’ behind their goals. 

“My role is to align our efforts with a shared vision while remaining adaptable to the ever-evolving needs of our clients and the industry,” she added.

Creating initiatives to foster growth

Given her goal of creating an environment where talents are moulded to become talented and inclusive, she says that her initiatives within the agency are intended to motivate and engage the agency’s talents.

“At Naga DDB Tribal, I’ve had the privilege of driving and supporting several unique initiatives designed to foster growth, collaboration, and a sense of belonging,” she said.

One of the key initiatives she championed is the ‘She Speaks Power’ initiative, a platform that empowers our team—especially women—to share ideas, voice their aspirations, and build confidence. The initiative is led by Hajar Yusuf, the agency’s head of digital and social, and includes various activities driven by the team.

For Farrah, this has strengthened camaraderie and inspired meaningful conversations and actions within Naga DDB Tribal. 

Another initiative she highlighted was rebooting their training program and co-creating the ‘Naga Adcademy.’ This program, led by the agency’s strategy team, developed a comprehensive calendar of training activities designed to inspire creativity, build skills, and foster closer collaboration across departments and industry partners.

In addition to these main initiatives, Farrah also supports the team’s initiatives for social events and activities. 

“Whether it’s lobbying management support or helping them bring their ideas to life, I see these moments as opportunities to strengthen our bond as a team,” she said.

She also highlights that any of its initiatives, whether it’s its ‘She Spins Power’ (a spin class taught by one of its own strategists) initiative or a 5km run to raise money for Cancer Research, all aim to foster a close relationship while having fun.

“Ultimately, my role is to empower the team, giving them the freedom and support to take ownership of initiatives they’re passionate about. By doing so, our aim is to create an environment where everyone feels they belong and can make a meaningful impact,” she stated.

Navigating the challenges of agency leadership

In terms of challenges in her leadership, Farrah says that one of the biggest challenges she faced was maintaining team engagement and morale in the face of industry pressures.

“Advertising is both incredibly dynamic and taxing as an industry. While it has its rewarding moments, it also comes with uncertainty and the risk of burnout. Keeping the team inspired, motivated, and aligned has required consistent effort and intentional leadership,” she said.

She admits that continuing the momentum is always challenging, especially when external factors add pressure. To navigate this, she has learned the importance of being present and authentic with the team. 

“By showing up, listening, and addressing challenges together, we can foster an environment where everyone feels supported and valued. I’ve come to understand that it’s not just about talk or even about creating programs for the team —it’s about showing care in the small, everyday moments,” she added.

Moreover, she also states that while she doesn’t claim to have all the answers to solve these challenges, she still believes that being open and approachable, even when facing uncertainty, creates a foundation of trust within the agency collective. 

“Leadership, for me, is about walking alongside the team and working through challenges together. It’s a journey of learning and adapting, and I’m grateful for a team that rises to the occasion, time and time again,” she added.

Milestones reinforcing agency beyond traditional boundaries

Farrah shared that one of the milestones she takes the most pride in during her leadership at Naga DDB Tribal is the impact of ‘She Speaks Power.’ She highlighted how this initiative has been a transformative force within the agency and the broader community it has touched.

“‘She Speaks Power’ was born out of the belief in the power of shared learning, mentorship, and celebrating entrepreneurship. Internally, it has had a profound effect on our team, fostering a culture of collaboration, confidence, and inclusivity. The activities and programs under this initiative have provided our team with opportunities to lead, innovate, and build meaningful connections with one another while having fun,” she explained.

She also expressed how the external impact of these initiatives has been deeply gratifying, highlighting how mentorship programs like IMPACT have significantly played a crucial role in supporting female founders and entrepreneurs in overcoming the challenges of building their businesses. 

“These efforts have reinforced Naga DDB Tribal’s reputation as an agency that goes beyond traditional boundaries, one that values purpose and creates a positive ripple effect within the industry and beyond,” she said.

Farrah also added, “‘She Speaks Power’ is a testament to what can be achieved when we embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship and the power of community. I am proud to see how it continues to inspire and uplift, and I am grateful to my team for really making this initiative work. We are entering into our third year, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Leading with authenticity

In terms of advice for future industry leaders, Farrah emphasised the importance of leading authentically and fostering a collaborative spirit as key aspects of effective leadership in the marketing industry. 

She also pointed out how easy it can be to get swept up in trends or adopt leadership styles that may not align with one’s true self.

“True inspiration comes from being yourself—sharing your values, staying grounded, and showing up with sincerity in every interaction. People respond to authenticity because it builds trust, which is the foundation of any strong team or relationship,” she said.

Farrah also highlights the significance of fostering a culture of collaboration, explaining that leadership is not about having all the answers or working in isolation.

“Leadership isn’t about having all the answers or doing it alone—it’s about creating an environment where ideas flow freely, people feel empowered, and everyone works toward a shared goal. At Naga DDB Tribal, I’ve seen the magic that happens when we tap into our collective strengths and work as a team,” she said.

Lastly, she said leaders can inspire others to adopt the same approach, creating a ripple effect that fosters positive transformation within teams and organisations.

“Leadership is about lifting others as you grow. For me, this means championing people’s potential, celebrating their wins, and giving them the space and confidence to shine. When you lead with empathy and purpose, you inspire others to do the same, creating a ripple effect that can transform teams and organisations,” she concluded.

***

Effective leadership in the marketing industry requires a balance of inspiration, adaptability, and vision. Leaders must cultivate creativity, encourage collaboration, and embrace diverse perspectives to drive innovation. By staying ahead of emerging trends and setting a clear direction, they empower their teams to craft impactful campaigns that connect with audiences and stand out in a dynamic landscape.

With its long-rooted history of making a meaningful difference to brands and people, HAVAS has cultivated a culture of agility and perfect synergy within its so-called ‘Havas Villages’ to provide clients with tailor-made solutions supporting their positive transformation. 

At its Malaysian operations, HAVAS has done significant work for its clients, blending creativity, PR, media, events, CX, and social expertise. Clients include 100PLUS, Domino’s Pizza, Sanofi, and several Reckitt brands.

With an agency tracing its roots to the original French agency founded in 1835, how do its Malaysian operations keep up with the ever-changing local landscape? And how does its leadership play a role in maintaining stability in the local advertising industry?

For our latest Agency Leadership Decoded, we spoke with Nizwani Shahar, chief executive officer at HAVAS Malaysia, to understand her leadership style within the agency, what initiatives they are implementing to boost creativity and productivity among their employees, and her advice for industry leaders navigating the ever-changing landscape of marketing and advertising.

Bearing a ‘creativity with purpose’ philosophy

A key aspect of her leadership within the agency is bearing in mind the ‘creativity with purpose’ philosophy. For Nizwani, leadership isn’t just about managing outcomes; it’s also about building a foundation where people feel inspired to do their best work and grow along the way.

“I believe creativity is our superpower, but it thrives best in an environment of trust, inclusivity, and shared vision,” she stated.

She also shares that as a leader, she aims to cultivate a culture where everyone feels empowered to think big, take risks, and collaborate openly. 

“Leadership, to me, also means leading by example—listening actively, being accessible, and adapting to the ever-evolving needs of the team and the industry,” she added.

Initiative with people at the centre of everything

True to HAVAS’ commitment to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace, Nizwani stated that its initiatives are rooted in the mission that people are always at the centre of everything.

A good example of the agency’s local initiative is its free French lessons for all Havas Malaysia employees. For Nizwani, the initiative helps employees learn a new language and better understand HAVAS’ French roots.

“A first of its kind in Malaysia, we pay homage to our French roots by tying up with Alliance Française Kuala Lumpur to provide free French lessons at the agency once a week,” she said.

Another initiative they have is focusing on career growth and mentorship through structured programs where senior team members guide younger talent, fostering a learning culture within the agency.

“This not only helps develop skills but strengthens bonds across the team. By investing in their growth, passions, and well-being, we create a motivated team that produces meaningfully different work for clients,” she explained.

Building a strong team amidst industry evolution

In terms of challenges, Nizwani shared that one of the ongoing challenges has been ensuring they stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry. From her perspective, the advertising landscape demands that they innovate continuously while staying true to the creative roots that define them.

“To address this, we’ve worked to diversify our capabilities while ensuring all work is anchored in creativity. Whether it’s digital, activation, or brand experiences, our focus remains on producing work that is both impactful and meaningful to audiences,” she stated.

Another challenge for them has been talent retention in a competitive market. To combat this, their strategy has been aimed at creating an environment that people want to be part of a place where they can grow, be recognised, and collaborate with some of the best minds in the business. For Nizwani, building this culture has been instrumental in their success.

With such a strategy in mind, she explains that one of her most significant milestones has been building a team of some of Malaysia’s most talented and creative minds.

“It’s not just their calibre but their humility and collaborative spirit that truly set them apart. This combination has helped us deliver outstanding work for clients and cemented our reputation as an ideas-first agency,” she said.

She also said that they have seen significant growth in client partnerships, with major brands trusting them to help them navigate complex and dynamic markets. 

“This speaks to the strength of our work and the relationships we’ve built. Ultimately, the most impactful milestone has been creating an agency culture rooted in creativity, trust, and humility—a foundation that sets us up for continued success,” she added.

Leadership led by creativity and evolution

When asked about her topmost advice about inspiring future advertising industry leaders, she said leaders should stay anchored to creativity while embracing evolution. While the advertising industry constantly changes, the ability to think creatively and solve problems with purpose will always be at its core.

“Future leaders should also recognise that their greatest asset is their people. Inspire them, empower them, and create a culture where they can thrive,” she said.

She also quipped that leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about asking the right questions, being open to ideas, and building trust. 

“Remember that humility is a strength. Listen, learn, and never stop growing. When leaders lead with humility and purpose, they inspire teams to achieve great things together,” she concluded.

***

Leaders in this field must inspire creativity, foster collaboration, and adapt to emerging trends while maintaining a clear vision for success. By setting the tone for innovation, encouraging diverse perspectives, and staying attuned to market shifts, effective leaders empower their teams to deliver impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences. 

As a digital media agency specialising in taking a human approach to connecting brands with people across all channels, M&C Saatchi Performance’s approach has been driven by their approach involving meticulous media planning and buying across digital channels such as search & social, retail & commerce media, influencer marketing, amongst others. In Indonesia, the agency is currently working with clients such as IKEA, JULO, and JobStreet by SEEK–focusing on channel-driven campaigns.

For our latest Agency Leadership Decoded interview, we sat down with Nachiket Desai, country director at M&C Saatchi Performance Indonesia on understanding how it feels like leading an agency whose mission is to cater to the ever-changing media needs of Indonesians, and carrying the message of surviving and thriving.

Leading agencies with a ‘top-down’ approach

It is worth noting that Nachiket has been with M&C Saatchi Performance since 2018 back in India before transitioning to Indonesia a year later. For him, being able to work in fast-moving markets like the aforementioned two allowed him to observe the fact that despite significant shifts in workforce expectations, personal ambition, and career progression, a traditional hierarchy-driven mindset persists. 

For him, this collaborative approach often still guides thinking and execution in his own leadership style.

“In my leadership tenure and with all the fantastic local talent that we have managed to attract to our team, I’ve focused on two key pillars: empowerment and accountability. By fostering an environment where individuals have the space to make mistakes and learn, we create room for growth,” he explained.

Nachiket also says that it is important to cultivate a culture where ideas are discussed freely and decisions are made collaboratively, even if it means challenging the status quo. Moreover, this approach helps develop a healthier and more engaged team.

Some of the initiatives Nachiket shared in order to help engage teams include having anonymous internal surveys to ensure an open dialogue and identify areas for improvement, a flexible hybrid office policy that promotes work-life balance, as well as conducting ‘stay interviews’ (instead of only exit interviews) to address potential issues early on. 

Moreover, Nachiket highly encourages involvement of key team members in revenue planning and projections, giving them a sense of ownership, as well as being available as a consulting figure, offering support in difficult situations. There is also regular quarterly training focused on both hard and soft skills, as well as providing access to Mental Health partners so employees can schedule an appointment with a mental health professional at their discretion.

“As a service-based company, our people are our greatest asset. It’s essential everyone feels valued and believes they are in the right environment for growth. 

Observing change and gaining retention

Over the past six years of leading the agency, Nachiket has noted significant changes—from the pre-COVID boom to global shifts, economic tightening, and the rapid rise of AI–but there’s always one constant factor evident, and that’s change. 

For them at M&C Saatchi Performance, they have embraced the mantra of adapting not just to survive but to thrive. 

“Being a nimble, independent agency has allowed us to make quick decisions at critical moments, helping us navigate these shifts successfully. Additionally, we’ve expanded our service offering, transitioning from a specialist mobile agency to one managing end-to-end media strategy, execution, and data for some of the region’s largest traditional brands,” he said.

Nachiket also stated that a major indicator of their success is their high retention rates—both in terms of employees and clients. For them, year-on-year growth is only sustainable when the foundation is strong.

“Many of our team members, who started as interns between 2019 and 2020, have grown into managerial roles. These individuals have played a pivotal role in shaping a culture centred around curiosity, learning, and fun,” he added.

Reflecting where they started–and advice on leadership

Nachiket also reflected on his early days with the agency, noting how much they have come a long way to win clients like IKEA, JULO, and JobStreet in recent months.

“When I first moved to Jakarta in 2019, we were a small team of four, taking client calls from cafes and figuring things out as we went. We’ve come a long way since then. That scrappy spirit has fueled our growth; today, we’re a team of nearly 100 people,” he said.

He also added, “Along the way, we’ve had the privilege to work with some of Indonesia’s and the region’s most prestigious brands. While we are always striving for more, it’s been a rewarding journey to reflect on what we’ve achieved so far.”

When asked for his advice on leadership, he focused simply on two words: enable and empower. 

“When a group works together with a shared sense of attachment and purpose, the results are exponentially greater than what any individual high performer could achieve on their own,” he concluded.

Formed from the unification of two prominent creative agencies within the industry – Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R, VML has established itself as an agency equipped to support clients on creative brand strategies and transformation initiatives, all powered by deep data, marketing technology, and platform expertise. With this in mind, it takes a special type of leadership to ensure that all these capabilities are met and delivered proficiently.

For Samir Gupte, CEO of VML Indonesia, leading this agency is built on an approach that focuses on a culture of transparency, respect, an environment that motivates everyone to do better, and a leader that leads by doing and supporting at the same time. 

Making internal improvements

Elaborating more on his leadership philosophy, Samir says that the biggest barriers to growth are mostly ‘internal’, citing that the pain points are not so much about the work itself, but about the peripheral issues.

Whether it is interpersonal dynamics, clarity on what every individual or team needs to achieve, or making hard processes easier, Samir explains that his focus is ensuring that all those internal hurdles are reshaped to help people to do their best.

“We cannot possibly control or manage what happens in people’s lives outside the office. But what we can do is create a culture where people love to come to work to create the work they love. They need to be happy with what they are creating or contributing to,” he added.

Visualising and organising goals

One of the unique initiatives implemented by Samir to keep the team engaged is a ‘Vision’ workshop with their leadership team, which breaks down their goals and ambitions into a concrete, tangible and measurable road map which could be tracked every month.

Samir also shares that VML Indonesia has a ‘Rising’ Leadership Team initiative that prepares team members to become future leaders of VML Indonesia, bi-monthly town halls for progress updates where they discuss key issues, celebrate wins, and welcome new joiners.

Furthermore, Samir mentions that VML Indonesia focuses greatly on training by creating a ‘Business 101’ session to strengthen the business orientation for the team, open dialogues in the office with a special channel for people to ask questions and address concerns, and a ‘regional leadership development programme to provide larger exposure, and to learn from the other leaders within the region, which can be shared with the wider teams.

Prioritising quality execution

Talking about the challenges faced by VML Indonesia, Samir mentioned the rise of smaller agencies which positioned themselves as the ‘cheaper & faster’ alternative. “A lot of execution work did shift to these smaller local agencies, but we did not want to compete against these,” he explained.

However, Samir said that sticking to their quality of offering allowed for them to thrive within the current landscape where clients are now looking for business solutions that go beyond basic communication and execution.

“In the increased competitive scenario, clients want to know how to make their brands meaningful, differentiated and relevant to their audiences. Through VML’s offering connecting Brand Experience, Customer Experience and Commerce, we have been able to drive sustainable growth for their brands and in turn our business,” Samir mentioned.

Driving creative success

Reflecting on their approach, Samir shares that VML Indonesia has seen some great changes internally. There is now a stronger sense of ownership with everyone seeing a clear vision for the company and their roles as well as a positive and collaborative atmosphere in the workplace that promotes transparency, more meaningful conversations, and initiatives that really resonate with the team.

Through these improvements, VML Indonesia has acquired significant achievements during the last six months, being the first Indonesian agency to secure a Grand Prix award and the only agency from Indonesia to win a Cannes Lion for 2024. The Indonesian team also led and won an ASEAN-level pitch which was spread across eight markets, and their six month attrition rate has significantly decreased this year and well below the average of the industry in Indonesia.

Talking about how he approaches his way of leading, Samir shared, “First, if a person feels more confident and better about themself after interacting with you, and is inspired to do better, you have done your job. Second, not all conversations or meetings start well- but make sure to end all conversations on a positive note. Whether it is a difficult conversation or a critical feedback, focus on the positive impact that you want to achieve. Lastly, focus on the problem that you want to solve, not on the person or the situation.”

With a company like Publicis Groupe Indonesia consisting of multiple agencies across a vast array of markets, driving business transformation using creativity and technology is no simple feat to achieve. However, for Sony Nichani, CEO of Publicis Groupe Indonesia, this is made easier with how she makes her leadership work in the company.

In terms of how she approaches leadership, Sony focuses significantly on fostering collaboration and driving camaraderie, pushing forward the agenda of building strong and authentic relationships with her teams as well as supporting their individual growth.

“If I have to pin down my leadership style, it would lean towards Servant leadership. As a team, we focus on defining our culture and driving positive employee engagement. We are very proud of the way this is reflected in our bi-annual employee surveys and low attrition scores,” said Sony.

Motivation through merits

To compliment her values in leading others, Sony shared the unique initiatives implemented by Publicis Groupe Indonesia to keep the teams engaged and motivated.

Firstly, Sony shared how the company utilises a clear and transparent ‘Pay for Performance’ model, which provides a disciplined approach to meritocracy using their ‘Career Conversations’ tool to ensure that their top talents are recognised and compensated well. Aside from these rewards, the company also launched its monthly ‘Lions of the Month’ initiative, which recognises team members who showcased exemplary performances based on peer nominations.

Furthermore, the company also commits to several activities and events to promote upskilling and cater to the well-being of employees such as mental health initiatives, ‘Thirsty Thursdays’ that promotes learning on digital transformation and A.I., and Friday disconnects which help teams bond with each other or spend time at home with the family while continuing to offer hybrid working opportunities.

Facing the dynamic shift

Talking about the challenges faced by Publicis Groupe Indonesia, Sony mentioned that there has been a radical shift in the kind of work that clients are investing in, as businesses are transforming more and more to be competitive. With this in mind though, Sony shared that Publicis Groupe Indonesia is equipped to deal with these emerging situations.

“Given the Groupe’s creative, intelligence, and technology expertise, our agencies are well equipped with strong capabilities to provide clients with transformative ideas and consumer experiences. This has given us a unique positioning to provide strategic counsel to help our clients solve their business challenges and provide an open architecture that allows them to plug & play with world-class experts under a single P&L, leading to a deeper and more meaningful partnership with clients,” she mentioned.

Going into detail, Sony explained that Publicis Groupe Indonesia achieves this by creating bespoke teams to offer clients end-to-end solutions in a frictionless and efficient manner. This approach has helped them significantly in campaigns such as with Mondelez and Blackpink, wherein they efficiently leveraged data, experiences, AI-based personalised content and activated communities to give K-Pop fans a one-of-a-kind experience.

Through this method of gaining a deep understanding of their audience, Sony has seen a strong business growth momentum with Indonesia being recognised as a key driver and contributor to SEA’s growth in the first quarter of this year. This leads to an improvement in ownership and empowered leadership when it comes to how they bring together their services to clients.

Building strength towards success 

As a result of these strategies and initiatives, Sony commented on how Publicis Groupe Indonesia has gone from strength to strength over the past four years in terms of capability building, new business growth, and achieving fame at regional and global levels.

“In 2023, we had double digit growth, won over 80 awards including Creative Agency and Digital Agency of the Year in Asia Pacific and have been recognised for our work in creative, data, CRM, AI as well as for key client projects. But what was most heartening for me was winning SEA’s Best Culture Award at Campaign Asia Agency of the Year 2023 as that truly is a testament of our coming together as a team,” she shared.

Talking about how this style of leadership helped make everything possible for the company, Sony concluded with a piece of advice saying, “Empathy is most important – we are in the people’s business and we spend so much of our time together, so it’s really important to understand and appreciate each other’s differences.”

Customer experience management agencies focus on delivering personalised and unique experiences to gain consumer loyalty across multiple platforms, and for Arshad Rahman, CEO of Merkle Indonesia, this goal of building trust and providing unique experiences applies towards how he leads his team as well.

When it comes to leadership, Arshad values transparency and open communication regardless of levels or ranks, championing psychological safety by showing appreciation for feedback and ensuring diverse opinions to be said and heard, regardless of how good or bad it may be perceived and who it’s from.

“I’m never under the illusion that my perspective is the only or right perspective, so it is crucial I cover as many angles as possible by hearing the perspective of others before coming to a conclusion. Therefore, my ultimate leadership philosophy could be a combination of situational and participative leadership,” said Arshad. 

Motivation through workplace initiatives

To get these principles through, Arshad shared several unique initiatives that are practised by Merkle Indonesia to build a high level of trust to achieve a high-performing workplace with depth amongst its team members.

Firstly, Arshad mentioned that there is a focus on communication, with monthly huddles and weekly sharings put in place in order to share performance updates and non-financial updates with transparency, celebrate the work done and put new learnings and feedback forward, nominate and celebrate individuals who went above and beyond to deliver a particular project or initiative, and have an open and transparent Q&A between employees and leaders.

Additionally, Arshad stated that Merkle Indonesia employs an initiative called the ‘Champions’ program, which helps employees build leadership skills by allowing them to take the lead in welcoming new partnerships or platforms that Merkle is exploring as a business.

“The program has also led to other social and recreational activities, with new clubs and gatherings were built and led by individuals, such as a badminton club, a pool/billiard group, a walking group and cycling group weekly, alongside other communities, with the objective of allowing people to get to know each other more and build better relationships to make collaboration smoother,” Arshad added.

Navigating complexities in CX

Talking about the challenges faced in customer experience management, Arshad said, “Delivering differentiated customer experiences involves a series of complex transformations across multiple touchpoints which is challenging in itself. While we stand firm on bringing the larger narrative of customer experience management to brands, we need to be mindful of the readiness and therefore one of our strategies to help clients through these types of large scale transformations is by taking a micro-level approach – we partner with clients across different departments/divisions and embark on various pockets of digital and data transformation initiatives, while still keeping the larger vision in mind.”

With that said, Merkle Indonesia always aims to mirror the client’s needs and focus on the services that are more urgent and important for them. This approach leads to clients being more open and willing to embark on these types of projects as they involve lower risk, lower cost, yet high impact and accountability.

Arshad expressed that breaking down these transformations into modules enabled them to deliver success a lot quicker and make the process more nimble and agile to changes, allowing them to pivot along with client’s needs.

Growing openly as a team

Since Merkle Indonesia’s inception in August 2021, the business has grown exponentially and maintained a strong retention of clients. The team has also doubled in size, with Merkle Indonesia also diversifying its service offerings from a focus solely on analytics tech platforms to now encompassing comprehensive data solutions and CRM services to the Indonesian market.

Talking about the leadership efforts that made this growth possible, Arshad shared, “Fostering a culture of trust through transparency, integrity and consistency – builds a team that collaborates openly and brings their best and real selves to work. Even when we fail, we fail together, we learn, and support each other to rise up again. Trust and transparency build credibility, encourage open communication, enable autonomy and empowerment, facilitate adaptability, and ultimately bring performance and success.”

When it comes to leading a strategic communications company, many might think that the ones at the helm tend to implement a convoluted formula for success, or a complex strategy to ensure effectiveness, but sometimes that isn’t usually the case, especially for Maverick Indonesia, one of Indonesia’s most prominent public relations and communications agencies.

For Ong Hock Chuan, Maverick Indonesia’s co-founder and managing partner, there is no exciting secret or formula to successfully lead an agency like Maverick. Instead, he only emphasises that leading is not an easy task, in which he stresses that one must simply lead and work with meaning and fulfilment.

“When my partner and I started Maverick in 2002, we were disillusioned from working with a multinational marketing communications group where they paid lip service to its people but worked them like they were cogs in a money-making machine. There was also a lot of emphasis on praising busyness, which never resulted in any impact to the client’s business”, said Ong when he recalled the challenges that he faced as a leader.

Realising this, Ong, alongside Maverick Indonesia, decided to make a shift towards changing how they operate, prioritising principles that allows their employees and teams to do meaningful and satisfying work.

A different perspective in finding meaning

In applying meaningfulness to everything that they do, Ong says that they always strive to explain why whatever they were doing was meaningful to them and their clients. However, this only sounds great in theory since clients can be unpredictable and it can sometimes be hard to get anything substantial from what they demand.

To get something out of these situations, Ong explained how it can still be seen as meaningful, since the work done within it will lead his team towards developing their skills to prepare for the time wherein work can be substantial.

“With this principle in mind, 80% of the work you do is unlikely to be very meaningful, but it keeps you in play and offers you a chance to hone your skills and achieve mastery in the art and science of PR for that 20% of the time when the right client comes along. And then, Bam! Great fulfilment as all that you’ve learned comes together in work that makes a real difference to the client’s business”, said Ong.

Knowing and cultivating agency values

Aside from meaningfulness, Ong also focuses on the importance of knowing their own value, and being good enough to match the standard associated with it. In this regard, Ong also says that this value also has to demand respect from clients in order for teams to achieve proper results.

“If we are good enough, we should expect the respect and treatment that comes with being a professional and a strategic advisor. We try our best but if clients are disrespectful or unethical we walk out on them. Life is too short to languish in a toxic relationship if you’re out to make a difference”, Ong remarked.

In improving their skills and value as an agency, Ong also talked about the principle of being creative in all that they do, combining clever ideas with a sound strategy to deliver quality work.

Expounding on this, Ong shared, To flesh out this principle, we spend huge resources in time and investments to give consultants the knowledge and tools to be impactfully creative. We run internal courses all the time that touch on systems vs inductive thinking, behaviour science, the Trivium of classical education and ways of coping with new technology.”

Success through attaining balance

Lastly, Ong puts the spotlight on the importance of balance, as Maverick Indonesia allows for employees to pace themselves in work, as well as to get a life outside the office as they can perform effectively as consultants if they have the networks as well as the rich and varied experiences that only a life outside can bring.

“One way we encourage this is to offer those who have worked for us for a year a Persona Development Fund, that is usually equivalent to a month’s salary, to travel somewhere they haven’t been before or to learn something that has nothing to do with work”, Ong specified.

Talking about these principles, Ong commented, “Implementing these principles has helped us build Maverick to what it is today but it wasn’t easy. There have been many times when they seemed not to yield any results, times when we felt that they have not contributed an iota to our ability to retain staff. During bad years we wonder if they unnecessarily sap our energy from more direct money-making, client-acquiring efforts.”

“But we stuck with them because we felt that they were our salvation from running a meaningless money-making machinery. And I’m glad we did because Maverick today has, through much trial and error, managed to train and grow a new generation of leaders ready to take over the helm and take it to what we hope is the next level”, he concluded.

With INNOCEAN’s name being derived from the phrase ‘Ocean of Innovation’, it comes as no surprise that Chow Kok Keong, Innocean Indonesia’s chief creative officer, leads his team of creatives by cultivating an agency ecosystem that thrives on out-of-the-box thinking and bold ideas.

“Embracing the mantra of unlearning and learning, I always push my team to stay at the forefront of the industry and embrace new technologies to ensure our campaigns remain cutting-edge, fresh, and impactful,” said Chow.

As a creative leader who seeks to set their agency apart in an industry full of ideas, Chow has a unique way of encouraging his team members to think creatively, embrace diverse perspectives, and take risks rather than playing it safe.

Consistently staying out-of-the-box 

As the industry always demands fresh and unique ideas for new campaigns and initiatives, one of the biggest challenges faced by creative leaders is to always ensure that their team always has the creative direction to tackle a multitude of situations. Chow approaches this by seeing it as a challenge with a solution, and not a struggle. 

“Every challenge comes with a solution when we keep pushing ourselves and never give up until we find a way to overcome it”, Chow mentioned. 

As chief creative officer, Chow says that his role is to provide his team with clear creative directions when they are stuck in a rut when it comes to ideas. Additionally, he pushes his team to not settle for anything that they are too comfortable with.  

With this in mind, one of Chow’s strategies to drive creativity in the workplace is to include internal sessions among his team members on ‘Trend & Knowledge Sharing’ to always stay relevant on what’s new within the industry, and holding an ‘Open Brief Challenge,’ to allow collaborative effort between multiple entities to come up with a collective solution to the client’s demand.

Going into more detail, Chow remarked, “I conduct idea reviews every two weeks and regularly participate in brainstorming sessions with the team. Consequently, the best ideas will be produced and submitted to award shows, where exposure and involvement serve as the best rewards and motivation for the team members to stay passionate in their creative work.”

Creating memorable, iconic campaigns

With his style of leadership, Chow and his team always strive to make sure that they always put the similar creative intention and passion into every brief, as they see it as a significant opportunity for them to showcase their skills and make themselves proud of their work, regardless of how big or small the projects are.

When asked about the most memorable projects that he led as CCO, Chow said that he really appreciated doing Hyundai’s U17 project, which was a campaign that supported young football players in terms of transportation during the U17 FIFA World Cup in Indonesia.

“There are several projects that we produced in 2023 that I like, and one of them is the Hyundai U17 project where we believe every young footballer deserves an opportunity to shine. Hence, we empowered the youth with a series of programmes to inspire them to be champions of tomorrow for the nation,” he explained. 

Furthermore, another major project that Chow shared was the ‘Anti-Hate Keyboard,’ which was actually a campaign for corporate social responsibility(CSR) which helped raise awareness and stop cyberbullying through a creative way of modifying gaming keyboards.

“I am proud of the Anti-Hate Keyboard, a CSR project that stopped cyberbullying through innovation by reprogramming the firmware of the gaming keyboard. When bullies type out insulting words, the keyboard automatically swaps the negative words for positive ones”, added Chow.  

A rising force of creativity in Indonesia 

Founded in 2020, INNOCEAN Indonesia has seen its fair share of milestones and successes. On the creative side of things, Chow admits that there are still several things that they need to improve on to always stay on top of the industry, but there is no denying that Chow’s leadership contributes greatly in always pushing the agency to that goal. 

“Over the past 18 months, through the collaborative effort of my creative team, along with the unwavering support and guidance from our APAC regional CEO, James Lee, we’ve achieved several milestones.” 

“Although our creative output isn’t perfect yet, it has significantly improved, and we remain committed to pushing for even greater creativity. Additionally, we successfully secured new business through pitches and earned recognition in creative award shows, both regionally and globally,” concluded Chow.

The mission of VMLY&R ANZ is to help create connected brands and its CEO Thomas Thearle says that this will only be possible if they themselves are a ‘connected’ team. 

For Thomas, to bring everyone together isn’t always a walk in the park where being appointed to leadership made him inherit “a really interesting” situation. It was in 2018 when parent company WPP announced the merger of VML and Y&R, birthing the agency that Thomas now helms for the ANZ team. 

“Mergers are complicated enough but when you also add in that there are five locations all at different levels of capability maturity and throw in two additional businesses at the same time, while coming in and out of lockdowns, it takes on a life of its own,” shares Thomas of the challenge of leading an agency that continues to evolve from its combined capabilities. 

This then becomes the heart of their team engagement strategies – creating a seamless and harmonious working dynamic to move as one. 

Creating a well-connected agency

First of all, in order to develop a team that manoeuvres as a single unit, right leadership must be in place. 

“The initiatives we put in place to keep our team engaged and motivated through this process were firstly to get the right leadership team in place,” said Thomas. 

Thomas said this needed to be a small passionate group of people that lived and breathed VMLY&R’s values and is as determined to see the organisation progress to an aligned mission and vision.

The former Y&R business had traditionally been a network of boutique agencies, which the agency began connecting at every level whilst investing heavily in developing its CX, technology and commerce capabilities to be able to truly deliver on its global mission to create connected brands.

“This process gives us all belief in what we’re doing,” said Thomas.

Developing a future-oriented working environment 

Aside from prioritising the promotion of unity and connection, VMLY&R ANZ also doesn’t ignore the fact that the tangible aspects of working together are as important. In line with this, the agency is looking to evolve and improve its approach to flexible working that would answer to the demands of the present working landscape. 

Thomas said that they are trying to redefine their perspective on factors such as when the team is in the office and why they are in it, be it for collaboration, ceremony, or celebration. In addition, they are also considering the length of the working week and even the locations of their offices. 

“There may be more desirable locations than metropolitan cities for example. There are lots we’re working on for what’s next that I’m really excited about,” he said. 

In the end, for VMLY&R, each step taken is always on the road to creating more shared opportunity, capability, capacity, and knowledge base for its team, and in turn, its clients.

Success from the inside out

VMLY&R views the success of their business performance through four lenses: their team engagement through ‘Office Vibe’; their work through industry recognition; their client satisfaction through Vantage; and their commercial health. 

This goes back to their core principle that if the team is doing great and is delivering great work, this in turn, will help them attract great client partners and be commercially healthy. 

“I’m pleased to say that all of these KPIs are trending positively,” shared Thomas. 

This of course is not possible without great leadership, and for Thomas, the best leadership is having the desire and pushing on one’s capability to “unlock the potential of others”.

“As leaders, we have to know what it is that we want to unlock the potential of others to do,” he said. 

He added, “[Ask yourself] what is it you want to change and is the answer to that question meaningful enough for your team to get behind it.”