SINGAPORE – Ogilvy & Mather today announced the appointment of one of the most awarded creative directors in Asia, Francis Wee, as Executive Creative Director of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Singapore, effective immediately. In 2016 the agency was named Singapore Creative Agency of the Year by Marketing Magazine and Campaign Brief Asia. It was also named Digital Agency of the Year 2016 by Campaign Asia and Singapore’s Creative Circle Awards.
Wee officially joins the Singapore office following a stint working on a project basis. Previously Wee was Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Shanghai from 2012-2014.
In his new leadership role, Wee will be looking to grow clients’ businesses in new and unconventional ways. Reporting to Eugene Cheong, Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific and Singapore, the two will work together to drive Ogilvy Singapore’s creative agenda to produce work that makes brands matter and that has both local impact and global influence.
“It is with the greatest pleasure and no small measure of pride that we announce Francis’ appointment as Executive Creative Director. What sets Francis apart from other creatives is a passion that borders at times on the nuclear. And he is still the one and only recipient of the impossible-to-win, don’t-even-think-about-it, uber-prestigious D&AD Black Pencil. And it’s a win that is neither lucky nor freaky; Francis has a track record of doing astonishing work. The guy is a veritable machine! We are truly lucky to have such an enormous talent as a colleague. Apart from his ECD role, we will tap on him to be the Group Head of Art, as I firmly believe that an idea ain’t great if it doesn’t look great,” said O&M’s Eugene Cheong.
Wee has nearly three decades of experience in advertising in Asia. Since launching his career as a junior art director at McCann-Erickson/Singapore in 1983, he has won countless regional and international awards including Cannes Lions, Clios and One Show awards. As Creative Director for Saatchi & Saatchi/Singapore, Wee’s 1993 Anti Drink Drive TV commercial took the world by storm, sweeping every Gold award from around the globe, including the most prestigious D&AD Black Pencil. After working as Executive Creative Director of BBDO/Singapore from 2002-2006, Wee founded creative boutique agency Religion in Singapore in 2007, his last project before joining Ogilvy Shanghai in January 2012.
Francis Wee, ECD of O&M Advertising Singapore, added, “The thing that really drives me to go to work every morning? The smell of possibility in the office. The team here is very talented so I’m looking forward to seeing what we can produce together. It feels good to be back.”
