TBWA Hong Kong Names Mike Choy and William Chow as Joint Creative Partners
TBWA Hong Kong names Mike Choy and William Chow as joint Creative Partners, signaling a shift toward co-leadership models across Hong Kong agency networks under Omnicom's group creative structure.
TBWA Hong Kong has appointed Mike Choy and William Chow as joint Creative Partners, placing both leaders at the head of the agency's creative department under General Manager Ida Mak. Both report directly to John Koay, recently named Creative Chief Officer of Omnicom Advertising Hong Kong.
A Structure Built on Complementary Strengths
The two Creative Partners bring distinct but non-overlapping experience to the roles. William Chow has more than two decades in the industry, with campaigns for Standard Chartered, adidas, Visa, LG, and Alipay. He is a two-time Grand Effie winner, with work recognized at The One Show, Kam Fan, and AdFest.
Mission Media
Mike Choy brings 17 years of experience focused on immersive brand experiences that connect digital and physical spaces. His client work includes Starbucks, Hennessy, Lee Jeans, Wrangler, and Lexus. Choy also leads Design by Disruption (DXD), TBWA's in-house design unit, which oversees a team of artists, designers, and makers.
John Koay described the pairing as "a bright and balanced future for TBWA HK," noting that Chow brings "sharp thinking and real clarity" while Choy excels at "creating amazing brand experiences by blending creative instinct with deep tech understanding."
Reporting Into a Group-Level Creative Layer
The appointment sits within a broader organizational structure at Omnicom Advertising Hong Kong. Koay's role as group-level Creative Chief Officer means both Creative Partners operate within a three-tier creative hierarchy spanning the wider agency group, not just TBWA Hong Kong.
Choy said the structure creates an opportunity to "push Disruption at TBWA Hong Kong to another level," adding that the Omnicom Advertising setup positions the agency as "a comprehensive and future-facing creative partner for brands."
Chow described the partnership as a platform to "collaborate more closely, push each other and our talented teams to innovate further, and ultimately deliver more meaningful and effective work for our clients."
Co-Leadership Gaining Ground Across Hong Kong Network Agencies
The dual Creative Partner model at TBWA Hong Kong is not an isolated move. Mcgarrybowen Hong Kong appointed Vincent Tse and Leung Chung as co-creative directors for its Hong Kong office, indicating that the co-leadership format is being adopted across multiple holding company networks in the market.
IPG Mediabrands deployed a different variation for Greater China, pairing Executive Creative Director Jay Lee with COO Penny Chow, separating creative and operational authority rather than duplicating the creative role. Ogilvy Asia has taken a geographically distributed approach, placing creative leads across Hong Kong and Singapore simultaneously.
Background on the Omnicom Advertising Hong Kong Consolidation
TBWA Hong Kong's new creative structure is directly connected to the formation of Omnicom Advertising Hong Kong as an organizational umbrella. Koay's appointment as group Creative Chief Officer preceded the TBWA announcement and signals that Omnicom is building a shared creative leadership layer above individual agency brands in the market.
The co-leadership appointment has been reported across regional trade publications this week. No timeline for additional structural changes within Omnicom Advertising Hong Kong has been announced.
Want to stay up-to-date on the stories shaping Asia's media, marketing, and comms industry? Subscribe to Mission Media for exclusive insights, campaign deep-dives, and actionable intel.
