SINGAPORE – Ogilvy today announced that Melvyn Lim and Nicolas Courant have been promoted to Co-Chief Creative Officers (CCOs) tasked with supporting the next phase of the agency’s creative leadership in Singapore.
Previously serving as Executive Creative Directors (ECD), both Lim and Courant will continue to further Ogilvy’s ambition to produce work that makes brands matter and that has both local impact and global influence. Another strategic focus will be to build a diversified creative capability that extends beyond the traditional creative department and includes specialists in all forms of digital including social, CX and technology, and creativity in all forms – from ink, pixel and screen, to UX/UI design, and from concept to execution.
Chris Riley, Chairman, Ogilvy Singapore, said, “Nicolas and Melvyn couldn’t be more complementary, and that is particularly important as we transition to a one Ogilvy creative network. Melvyn is a digital native who has become an ambidextrous, channel-agnostic creative with deep insight into Singapore’s cultural nuances. Meanwhile, Nicolas is a branded content specialist that brings a modern international perspective from his experience working across three continents, combined with a special affinity for elevating FMCG work into truly meaningful pieces of content.”
The duo will report to Chris Riley and Eugene Cheong, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy Asia Pacific, from whom they will take over the reins in Singapore as Cheong focuses on his regional CCO role and ensures that the creative agenda remains front and centre across Ogilvy’s 30 offices in 18 Asia Pacific countries. Cheong will continue to be based in Singapore, allowing him to play the role of advisor and mentor to the new CCOs.
“The announcement of Melvyn and Nicolas’ appointments give me immense pleasure and a huge dollop of pride. Having been in the trenches with these guys for over 1,800 days, I can tell you without hesitation that I am leaving the creative flower of this iconic agency in very able hands. Both relentlessly competitive by nature, we’re excited to see what they will achieve through their powers combined,” said Cheong.
Since joining in 2007, Lim has risen rapidly through the ranks, from Senior Art Director to his newly appointed role of Co-CCO. When Lim was named ECD in Singapore in 2011, he became the first and youngest Singaporean to ever hold the position. Under his guidance, the agency saw many wins in Singapore’s most prestigious and significant pitches including Changi Airport Group, Singtel and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) in the run up to SG50. Lim’s work has won accolades at multiple effectiveness and creative award shows including Cannes Lions, Effie Awards, Spikes Asia, One Show and D&AD.
Courant began his career as a copywriter in France before joining Ogilvy 12 years ago to launch an office in Tunis in 2006 as Creative Director. It was in that role that he implemented new offerings in creative, public relations and brand activation. In 2012, Courant was named Head of the MENA Regional Creative Council, before joining Ogilvy in Singapore a year later to work on brands such as Unilever, Coca-Cola and Allianz amongst others. His brand work has been celebrated in nearly every major international creative and effectiveness show, winning Gold Lions, Effies, Clios and One Show Gold pencils, Grand Prix at Spikes Asia and Dubai Lynx several times over in all categories from press and film to digital, mobile and direct.
These appointments follow a strong year at the award shows for Ogilvy, having been named Singapore’s Creative Agency of the Year by Marketing Magazine in 2018 and 2017 as well as Digital Agency of the Year by Campaign Asia, Marketing Magazine and the Creative Circle Awards in 2017.
