Farrokh Madon to join J. Walter Thompson Singapore as creative cover for Chris Chiu
Farrokh Madon is to join J. Walter Thompson Singapore in a freelance capacity to provide cover for Chris Chiu, the agency’s well-travelled chief creative officer who has just left to join DDB after five months with the agency.
Madon, one of Singapore’s best known and well liked creative personalities, has been working freelance since moving on from Y&R Singapore, where he was chief creative officer, in 2014.
He is coming in to help the agency during its search for a permanent replacement for Chiu, who joined JWT in June.
Madon will work with JWT Singapore’s chief creative officer Marco Versolato, who came in from Brazilian hotshop DM9DDB to replace Valerie Cheng six months ago. Cheng, who is married to Madon, left JWT to join Facebook a year ago.
News of Chiu moving on from JWT emerged last week, five months after the agency parted ways with its executive creative director, Victor Ng. Ng lasted seven months at the agency.
Chiu, who like Madon is one of Singapore’s most admired and well awarded creatives, has worked at three different agencies in less than 12 months since returning to Leo Burnett after three years running his own agency, Renn Partnership.
Chiu has joined DDB as a replacement for Joji Jacob, the agency’s regional chief creative who has just started his own agency with the network’s Singapore MD, two creatives and flagship client StarHub.
Feel a bit sorry for the brazilian. More substitutions than a world cup game.
Not even halftime and he’s 3-0 down.
ReplyWonder how JWT and Mirum are doing these days(?). Thought they had stabilised and were on an upwards trend again, but seems to be a constant revolving door there.
ReplySome people there still think success is all about winning at cannes. Over the years all the creatives did heaps of scam, failed miserably at the real work and moved up the ladder elsewhere…their biggest accounts have gone or been diluted. of course, this suits the lifers well….they’ll be there till the last window is boarded up.
ReplyI wonder if the old model of creative departments really works for ad agencies that dont handle a lot of business? Is there any point in hiring 1cco 1 ecd and a sea of clueless kids below them?
Replybest news all year! it’s very cool to have a good guy like far mad stirring a great ship like JWT. looking forward to seeing more magic from far’s hat!
ReplyWhat a merri-go-round. Same old names shuffle around at the top. It’s such an in-club…can agencies really instill change with the usual suspects alway shifting around at the top?
Reply@Dodo
If it’s only ECD names that shuffle then no, nothing will change. Its well known MD’s first person under the bus is the head creative.
ReplyHeard he’s really handy with pitches.
Might be a good time to go after a car account.
ReplyHave your say