MANAGEMENT
TUNKU DATO' KAMIL IKRAM BIN TUNKU TAN SRI ABDULLAH – CHAIRMAN
Grandson of Malaysia's first King, Tunku Dato' Kamil completed his Diploma (OND) Hotel & Catering Management in 1976 and Professional (HCIMA) Hotel Management in 1978. He also went on to earn a Diploma in Marketing in 1979. In the summers, he trained and worked at the 3-star Regent Place Hotel in London's West End and later at the Chewton Glen, a premium 5-star hotel in New Forest, Hampshire. In 1990, he graduated with an Executive MBA from Boston University, Graduate School of Management, in the United States.
Tunku Dato' Kamil has been involved in his family’s diversified business organisation, Melewar, since the early 80s as its Group Operations Director. Following the acquisition of two public-listed companies, Granite Industries Bhd and Malaysian Assurance Alliance Berhad (now known as Zurich Insurance Malaysia Berhad) in the mid-80s, he was appointed as their Special Projects Director and oversaw several ventures, covering different industries and disciplines. He also briefly served on the Board of TDM Bhd during his “teething” years in the 80s.
Since then he has had vast industry experience (in hospitality, marketing and PR, construction and land development, travel and tourism, restaurants and F&B projects, transport, beverages and bottling) but most importantly is able to leverage on connections in local and federal government circles, and government-linked organisations. And as his family enterprises’ Associate Director of Business Development, Tunku Dato’ Kamil also spends his time evaluating new projects including finalising plans to develop his beachfront property in Cherating, Pahang.
He is also the past President of the Negeri Sembilan Cricket Association, sits on several Boards of the Melewar Group as a Non-Independent, Non-Executive Director and is a Member of the Group’s Risk Management Committee. He also is on the Board of several other private limited companies, including as a Director and Chairman of ISCI.
AUSTEN ZECHA – CO-FOUNDER/PRESIDENT & CEO
Austen Zecha has been a pioneer and a major presence in the local and regional advertising scene for nearly a half-century. He has helped bring literally millions to these shores with the creation of one of the international tourism industry’s most famous and recognisable slogans: 'Malaysia, Truly Asia'. That thematic line is 20 years old in 2019 and still going strong!
A Malaysian Permanent Resident born in Indonesia of Dutch, Indonesian, Czech and Chinese ancestry, schooled in elite secondary and tertiary schools in the United States, and launching his earlier journalistic and speechwriting careers for Robert F. Kennedy, Austen’s worldview is both broad and deep. He is a marketing maven, maverick and - with a little bit of Mad Men thrown in - has founded and helmed 11 advertising, design and public relations entities which formed part of, or were later sold to, leading multinational agencies' entries into the region.
Innovation, combined with a dynamic, nimble, and robust approach has distinguished Austen’s leadership style. Not just staying ahead, but thinking beyond. And the international president of TBWA\Worldwide, the worldwide agency he sold his last agency to, even referred to him as a "unique...charismatic leader" within that leading worldwide network.
He is one of the first to adopt an integrated, multi-disciplinary communications strategy for his clients. He also recognised early on the transformative nature of separate, independent media companies as well as digital and social media entities. And today he regards the trending decline of large global agencies replaced by smaller, lean-and-mean management consultancies as a welcome “disruptor", including management and financial consultancies' buying creative agency networks.
All of which he has incorporated into his latest and perhaps most personally gratifying undertaking - ISCI. It’s all there in the name: Integrated. Strategic. Communications. Innovative. To which Austen adds copious portions of love, enthusiasm, passion and an incredible Southeast Asian network for the advertising business.
And be warned - around him, it’s contagious.