4As appoints first female president

Chan, managing director of MEC, officially took over the presidency of 4As on 1 October. With 18 years of local and international media advertising experience, she was a founding member of MEC Global Solutions, Asia’s first specialist company providing international planning and management services for multi-market clients.

She was also the chairwoman of the Singapore Media Awards 2010 (SMA 2010).

Under the watch of her predecessor Theodore Choo, the 4As began making the shift from being a trade association of traditional advertising agencies into an organisation that can function as a hub for all players in the industry.

“The 4As will strive to maintain its leadership as a key industry, trade and professional organisation,” Chan said. “As an advocate of better business, and professional practice, we will continue to address the issue of agency value-add. Already remuneration from the media commission system of the past has become a blend of commissions and fees, encouraging our members to focus on more tangible and value-added aspects of their service.”

She went on to say that she would focus on the need for the industry players to strengthen their positions as exponents of creativity. “I believe that creativity and strategic thinking are the industry’s biggest assets," she said. "The digital revolution has distracted many practitioners from focusing on these two essentials. To operate higher in the eco chain, practitioners must continue to provide solutions that go beyond craft and technology.”

This year, the 4As launched a programme for talent development and re-positioned its existing creative shows into events that have an added objective of developing Singapore as a centre for creative excellence.