Edmund Choe set to leave Saatchi & Saatchi to join TBWA\Greater China as co-president
UPDATED STORY: After over two decades with Saatchi & Saatchi Edmund Choe is leaving to join TBWA\Greater China as co-president and head of creative – effective May 2011.
Choe is one of the great guys of our industry and for the past three years has filled the role of chief creative officer for Saatchi & Saatchi Greater China.
Choe has been an inspirational creative leader and leader of creatives. Prior to moving to China he was based in Malaysia as the ECD of both the Malaysian and Indonesian offices where he lead the creative revival of the agencies. Choe, who was one of the senior art directors from the David Droga years of the Singapore office, sat on the Cannes Titanium and Integrated jury in 2009.
Says Justin Billingsley, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Greater China: “Ed has been a great partner and I am proud of what we have achieved together in China. I personally wish him the best for his next venture and I am sure everyone at Saatchi joins me in this.”
He added: “Ed leaves a very strong team of China executive creative directors in Ng Fan (Guangzhou), Dean Sciole (Bejing) and Yewfei Cheong (Shanghai) that are leading us with such great positive momentum right now.”
Choe said Saatchi & Saatchi and its people will always have a special place in his heart: “Of all the time I have spent with this company, I must say that the past three years here, will always be remembered for being not just exciting and inspiring but also humbling for me. And for this, I cannot thank everyone enough.
“For me, being in the advertising business is like riding a roller coaster. It’s an intoxicating blur of surprises that you can’t get enough of. I’ve been on the same ride for a while now and I guess it’s time for me to try another.”
Ian Thubron, group president, TBWA\Greater China said: “Our avowed aim is to be one of the ten most creative companies in the world, so I didn’t want to hire someone to make ads – even very good ads. I wanted to find a partner to join me in leading China’s most creative ideas company. Ed has an impeccable pedigree. Creatively driven, great people and team-building skills and an incredibly nice guy to boot. The perfect partner.”
23 Comments
Class act. Good luck.
Edmund is one of the titans in Asian advertising.
He has achieved so much it would be foolhardy to even attempt to list his accolades here.
It’s definitely a big blow to Saatchi.
Please come back to Malaysia! We need good creative leaders that are lacking here!
Here’s wishing Ed all the best for another glorious chapter in a distinguished career.
Malaysia Boleh!
I can hear ‘Kacheng kacheng’
1.11 Just because it’s TBWA doesn’t mean he’s getting paid a lot of money. Actually, it’s probably far from it. But a great network nonetheless.
TBWA pays bloody well. Just ask John Merrifield.
Well done Ed. Good luck even though I was hoping you were coming back to Sin/Mal.
Campaign Brief is correct, he is one of the great guys
Malaysia Boleh!!!!
“inspirational creative leader and leader of creatives.”
Which is it guys…seriously???
‘Great guy’….that seems to be all the qualifications you need these days…well, why the hell not! Go, great guys.
Richly deserved. Ed is one of the industry’s top creative talents.
It’s really unusual that Saatchi didn’t recognize his talents enough and make him the Regional ECD.
Anyway, he’s now moved on to a role far bigger than that.
Congrats Ed.
Good Luck.
11.11 you obviously don’t know Ed …. anyone who’s worked with him will tell you that he is truly a great person. Not just as an ad man but also as a friend and mentor.
Edmund Choe is a legend.
3.31 Are you John’s accountant?
1.11 PM : Being just a ‘great guy’ means shit these days mate – you’ll need a track record thats both consistent and eviable. Which Ed (the Buddha) has – and a fck’in long one too.
Has he done anything for Saatchi China? Nope.
Never protect his people. How can he be great?
Yes man. Yes yes yes, more money please
March 13, 2011 3:51 PM, what do you mean ‘protect his people’???!
3:51PM – Ed only protect good people … your last day coming right?
3.51PM … You wrong! Since Ed join he always make us confident and feel strong. Can do anything. Many boss just big talk plus PR their own. When news comeout about Ed many heart breaking.
I wish we could invent some more meaningful words to describe someone than great and nice guy…at this level, you need a lot more, the industry demands a lot more. All a lot of people have done is rape saatchi to win awards for themselves turned it into shit and moved on.
The best of the best !!!!!!
The BEST BOSS i ever had during my 13yrs with Saatchi & Saatchi Malaysia.
U LUCKY people in TBWA/GREATER China!!! What else do I need to say??
GO DAD!!!!!