Ogilvy Group Malaysia has appointed Irene Wong as CEO and Graham Drew as Chief Creative Officer, effective 1 January 2026. The move strengthens collaboration between Ogilvy and Grey while preserving their distinct identities. Supported by existing leaders, the duo aims to drive integrated creativity, innovation and deeper value for clients across Malaysia.
Ogilvy Group Malaysia will enter 2026 with a renewed leadership vision as the company announced two significant senior appointments designed to strengthen its creative and strategic muscle in one of Southeast Asia’s most competitive markets. Irene Wong, currently CEO of Grey Malaysia, will take charge as Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy Group Malaysia, while Graham Drew, Chief Creative Officer of Grey Malaysia, will step into the role of Chief Creative Officer for the entire Ogilvy Group Malaysia. Both appointments take effect on 1 January 2026 and signal a deliberate move to unify strengths across Ogilvy and Grey while maintaining each agency’s independent identity and client focus.
The announcement marks a strategic moment for Ogilvy in Malaysia, a market that has consistently shaped some of the region’s most dynamic brand-building efforts. By placing two of Grey Malaysia’s most accomplished leaders at the helm, the network is demonstrating confidence in their ability to deepen collaboration, strengthen creative excellence, and drive integrated solutions for clients who now expect seamless, multidisciplinary support. While both Ogilvy and Grey will continue to serve their clients independently, the pairing of Irene Wong’s business leadership and Graham Drew’s creative vision is meant to enable greater cross-agency synergy, more efficient resource sharing, and a stronger collective presence in the Malaysian market.
Irene Wong’s appointment reflects her long track record of navigating complex client ecosystems and leading transformation initiatives at Grey Malaysia. Over the years, she has steered work for some of the country’s most influential brands and institutions, including Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Telekom Malaysia, Coway, Maybank, CelcomDigi, the National COVID-19 Immunization Programme, the Malaysian Government’s National Budget 2022/23 communications, and preparations for the ASEAN-Malaysia Chairmanship 2025. Her ability to marry creative ambition with business realities has earned her the trust of multinational corporations, government-linked companies, and federal agencies. She has also been a recurring juror at the Malaysia Effie Awards since 2017, underscoring her commitment to effectiveness in marketing.
In accepting her new role, Irene described her journey as a culmination of years spent building a nuanced understanding of the Malaysian market and the power of purposeful collaboration. She said that leading Ogilvy Group Malaysia will allow her to bring together the distinct strengths of Ogilvy and Grey while still preserving what makes each brand unique. Her goal, she emphasised, is to unlock new possibilities for clients by harnessing diverse talents across the two agencies and fostering an environment where innovation thrives naturally through partnership rather than consolidation. Irene’s leadership philosophy, built on empathy, shared vision, and a deep respect for the creative discipline, is expected to resonate strongly within the organisation as it takes on increasingly complex assignments from both local and global clients.
For Graham Drew, stepping into the role of Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy Group Malaysia marks the next chapter in an already illustrious creative career. Having led Grey Malaysia to an unprecedented level of creative recognition over the past decade, Graham has become one of the country’s most celebrated creative minds. Under his stewardship, Grey Malaysia has earned international accolades and won major awards, including more than 20 Cannes Lions, distinctions from D&AD, One Show, Global Effie, Adfest, WARC and Spikes. The agency has also secured five Creative Agency of the Year titles from Campaign Brief Asia, Spikes, and Campaign, an achievement that underscores its consistent creative performance.
Graham’s work has resonated globally for some of the world’s most recognised brands such as P&G, WWF, SK-II, Tesco, Reckitt, Pantene, Volvo, and Carlsberg. His ability to blend cultural insight, technology, and brand purpose has helped position Grey Malaysia as a creative powerhouse within the region. Graham also serves as Chairman of the Grey APAC Creative Council and in 2023 became the first Malaysia-based creative to chair a jury at Spikes Asia, a milestone that highlighted both his personal contributions and Malaysia’s growing significance on the global creative map.
In his statement on the appointment, Graham described the new role as an opportunity to harness the shared creative culture that unites both Ogilvy and Grey. He emphasised that while the agencies will continue to operate independently, they are connected by a common ambition to create work that moves people and moves business. For him, the future lies in innovating at the intersection of brand, experience, and commerce, and using craft, data, and technology to generate ideas that originate in Malaysia but resonate far beyond its borders. His vision suggests an amplified push toward integrated creativity, where category-defining work emerges from cross-disciplinary collaboration.
The transition will take place while ensuring continuity for both agencies’ leadership structures. Michelle Ong will continue as Executive Group Director of Ogilvy Malaysia and remain responsible for leading Ogilvy’s client portfolio. Her stability in the role ensures that Ogilvy’s existing relationships and strategic direction will remain consistent even as new leadership begins shaping the group-level approach. Similarly, Cindy Quek will continue to serve as Managing Director of Grey Malaysia, safeguarding the agency’s independent client agenda and maintaining momentum for its ongoing initiatives. Their continued presence helps balance the leadership equation, keeping both agencies grounded even as they prepare to explore new collaborative opportunities.
Ogilvy Group ASEAN CEO Kunal Jeswani has expressed strong confidence in the new leadership structure, highlighting both Irene and Graham’s deep understanding of the Malaysian market and their proven ability to deliver meaningful results. According to Kunal, the appointments demonstrate the company’s commitment to investing in its top talent and empowering leaders who can drive broader impact. He also reaffirmed Ogilvy’s commitment to Malaysia, noting that the market remains a key pillar in the network’s regional growth strategy.
As Ogilvy Group Malaysia prepares for 2026, the leadership changes mark more than just a shift in titles—they reflect a strategic recalibration tailored to a market where clients increasingly seek unified creative ecosystems capable of delivering across brand, digital, commerce, public relations, and experience. By leveraging the combined strengths of Ogilvy and Grey, the company aims to offer clients a deeper pool of talent, a wider spectrum of capabilities, and a more integrated approach to building modern brands.
The appointments of Irene Wong and Graham Drew come at a time when Malaysian brands are navigating complex shifts in consumer behaviour, digital acceleration, and an increasingly borderless creative economy. With their combined experience in business leadership and creative excellence, Ogilvy Group Malaysia positions itself not only to meet these challenges but to shape the future of brand-building in the country. Both leaders have earned reputations for pushing boundaries, nurturing talent, and championing work that is both culturally insightful and globally relevant. Their partnership signals a renewed era of ambition for Ogilvy Group Malaysia—one built on collaboration, creativity, and a shared commitment to elevating the standards of marketing across the region.
