J. Walter Thompson Kuala Lumpur has hired a new Digital Business Director, Lau Kuan Cheng, a seasoned leader who has helmed key digital initiatives on both sides of the agency-client divide.

Kuan Cheng has 16 years in the communications industry, nine of which were in digital. She was Head of Relationship Experience Marketing and Digital Business Director at Leo Burnett, where she was instrumental in driving key accounts such as Reckitt Benckiser, whose brands include Durex and Dettol. She has also overseen CRM and B2B programmes for Canon Malaysia and telco Maxis.

She was most recently Group Head of Marketing for The BIG Group, overseeing more than 12 food-related brands spanning 30 outlets for Malaysia’s most dynamic restaurant and grocery group.

“Kuan Cheng has built and led teams across the digital spectrum from B2B to CRM to social,” said Saurabh Saksena, Managing Director of J. Walter Thompson Kuala Lumpur. “We welcome her skills and her smarts to JWT KL as digital becomes an ever more integral part of our offering.”

Said Kuan Cheng: "I’m thrilled at the chance to hone my combined experiences in communications and marketing to help transform and push digital communications for our clients.”

Kuan Cheng served on the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As) Council between 2003 and 2013, and has taught part-time at the industry-founded college, IACT.