After two years at the agency CK Tan is to leave his Chief Creative Officer role at Amber China

Tan Chee Keong (CK Tan) is leaving his position as Chief Creative Officer at independent Chinese network Amber China tomorrow.

CK Tan (pictured) has been with Amber, who have agencies in Shanghai and Beijing, for exactly two years after joining the agency in the CCO role from Ogilvy Malaysia in December 2016.

At Amber Tan has overseen the agency’s Beijing and Shanghai creative teams with the aim of using his Asia experience and Chinese local insights to effectively help Chinese brands to expand into international markets and for international brands to better reach local markets.

Tan told Campaign Brief Asia that he had really enjoyed his two years at Amber and was now looking forward to a new challenge in the China market.

He said he was very proud that Amber was China’s most awarded agency in 2018 at AdFest, AdStars, AWARD Awards, CLIO and at One Show. Amber was also the only Gold winner for China (not Greater China) at Clio and AdFest 2018. Amber was the only Chinese agency toscore metals at all the regional and international awards show in 2018.

“Being named Independent Agency of the Year at the LIA China Creative Show last month is a nice way to end my stay at Amber,” said Tan.

Over his career Tan has worked at BBDO Malaysia, Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia, Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong, and Leo Burnett Malaysia.

During Tan’s tenure as ECD at BBDO Malaysia, his team was recognised with several significant achievements, including Malaysia’s first LIA Grand Prix in 2015 and “Best of Show” at the Kancil Awards two years in a row in 2013/2014.

BBDO Malaysia was also named by The Gunn Report and The Directory Big Won Ranking as “Malaysia’s Most Awarded Agency” in 2015, and was ranked No. 17 on the most creative agency worldwide rankings. CK Tan and his team’s great creative excellence also contributed to Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia winning “Agency of The Year” at Spikes Asia in 2012.

Personally Tan was ranked #7 in Campaign Brief Asia’s “Most Awarded Creative Directors in Asia” in the 2016 Creative Rankings and #11 ECD worldwide in The Directory Big Won Rankings 2014. His work has also been recognised by some of the most prestigious awards in the industry, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, CLIO, LIA, AdFest, Spikes Asia, Ad Stars, AMES, Effie and Award Awards.

Tan told Campaign Brief Asia that he had a couple of options in the China industry that he’d like to explore over the next few months.

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