DDB Asia CEO David Tang will be leaving the agency with effect from today (Feb 28). Before taking up the regional CEO title, Tang helmed the Singapore office as CEO along with Neil Johnson for over 20 years. Over the last seven years, he also led DDB Asia.
In the absence of a regional leader, local offices in Asia will fall under the purview of management teams at DDB Worldwide in the interim. Market heads will report to New York-based global president and COO Alex Lubar, supported by Singapore-based CFO Esther Selvanayagam.
News of Tang’s departure follows a wave of recent exits at DDB. Just four months back, China CEO Matthew Cheng gave up the position for ‘family reasons’ to return to his native Hong Kong. Wunderman Thompson and former DDB alum, Jason Wu stepped in his shoes. DDB Asia’s chief creative officer Eugene Cheong and Singapore managing director Joshua Lee, a 12-year veteran with the firm exit earlier this month.
Outgoing CEO Tang remarked: “Once in a lifetime, passion and perseverance come together. I was at the right place, at the right time. Truly, I want to thank a generation of talent which includes clients and colleagues who have become friends. They have been great to work with and they made the work great. They were a wonderful, hardworking bunch. Now I’m moving on, with faith and hope, to the next chapter of my lifetime.”
Said DDB Worldwide CEO Marty O’Halloran: “We would like to thank David for his passion, friendship and enduring commitment to DDB over the past 25 years. Everyone across the DDB network wishes David the very best in his endeavours ahead.”
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