Top Malaysian trio break away from McCanns to form Merdeka LHS: Michael Constantine and Richard Irvine step in to lead the agency

Long serving McCann Worldgroup Malaysia chief executive officer Tony Savarimuthu and the agency’s two highly regarded ECDs Huang Ean Hwa and Szu Lee have broken away from the agency to form McCann’s newest agency affiliate – Merdeka LHS. The move has been on the cards and in planning since September last year.

Savarimuthu, Ean Huang and Lee have been credited with the success of McCann for the last ten years, achieving six ‘Agency of the Year’ awards, winning key clients and numerous international accolades; Hwa and Szu were the winners of Malaysia’s first Gold Lion at Cannes, and Savarimithu is the serving President of 4As Malaysia.

Replacing the trio at McCann Worldgroup Malaysia are Michael Constantine and Richard Irvine, who have been appointed President and Chief Creative Officer respectively. Constantine was previously global marketing director of Prime Focus and Irvine was with Publicis.

“Merdeka LHS will be an independent company specializing in strategic brand consulting, and helping clients build teams to achieve market leadership,” said Savarimuthu. “We are particularly happy to see the appointment of an established leadership team to lead McCann Malaysia as we move on to the next stage in our career. The McCann leadership has been very supportive of our ambitions. We will continue to have a close strategic relationship with an affiliation, which will give us the support of a strong international network.”

Constantine will also become a member of McCann Worldgroup’s Asia Pacific Executive Committee, and joins McCann Worldgroup Malaysia late February 2013. In addition to this appointment, Irvine, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Worldwide Malaysia and Chairman of the Southeast Asian Creative Board, will join McCann Worldgroup Malaysia as Chief Creative Officer and become a member of the Asia Pacific Creative Leadership Committee. Irvine joins early March. Both Constantine and Irvine will be based in Kuala Lumpur.

Charles Cadell (left), President, McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific said, “Malaysia is a priority market for us in Southeast Asia, and therefore leadership is key to our success. Tony, Hwa and Szu have been tremendously successful for us and with them now leading Merdeka LHS, Michael and Richard are charged with driving our global strategic and creative direction, and ambitious growth strategy for McCann Worldgroup Malaysia.”

With a proven partnership record, Constantine and Irvine lead the Leo Burnett Manila office for five years, boosting the agency’s creative reputation to be recognized on the global stage, and consistently exceeding growth targets. Key clients included: Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, McDonald’s, Samsung, Sun Cellular and GM.

Irvine, a multi award winner and Grand Prix Cannes Lion winner, has worked in London, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and now Malaysia, and was the first non-Filipino to be inducted into the Philippines 4A’s Hall of Fame.

‘We’re delighted to welcome Michael and Richard to the McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific leadership team;” concluded Cadell.