CEO of Stellar Ace Jeslyn Tan steps down

Stellar Ace's CEO, Jeslyn Tan will be stepping down after almost 20 years with SMRT. She confirmed the news to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

According to Tan's LinkedIn post, the break is an opportunity for her to recalibrate and uncover new untapped opportunities.

"I still very much believe in the OOH space and think it has yet to reach its optimal level in Singapore and across Southeast Asia, and I remain passionate about advertising," she said. She added that after almost 20 years of non-stop excitement, she needed to hit the pause button to reflect, recharge, and rethink. 

Don't miss: James Smyllie steps down as president of Initiative APAC

Also announcing her move on LinkedIn, Tan said that as a CEO, she has had the "best time" working with the team. "We grew the media business into the vibrant ecosystem it is today—home, travel, eat, shop, play— turning ideas into reality, through creative solutioning," she said. 

Tan joined SMRT in 2005 as a general manager, a role she held for just over 15 years. In her role, she was responsible for SMRT Media business' overall performance and helmed its expansion in the Middle East.  In 2020, she was promoted to vice president, media and digital before becoming managing director of Stellar Lifestyle in 2021. She helmed the role for three years before being promoted to chief executive officer at Stellar Ace. 

Prior to her stints in SMRT and Stellar Ace, Tan was an assistant general manager at Moove Media where she was responsible for the amalgamation of SBS Transit and Comfort Taxis’ media inventories under a newly created marketing and advertising arm. She also established new corporate structures and introduced new sales and marketing initiatives to brand Moove Media in her time there. 

"It’s been an enriching and fulfilling ride working with clients and agencies, many of whom have become lifelong friends," said Tan on LinkedIn about her time at Stellar Ace. "I’m also very thankful to my mentors in the company for their trust and belief in me throughout my journey in Stellar Ace," she added. 

"Now, as I take this break, I’m excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. This isn’t goodbye—just a 'see you later' as I prepare for the next chapter of my journey," said Tan. 

The news comes shortly after Shabirin Ariffin stepped down as head catalyst of new business growth at Stellar Ace after approximately four years at the company. Ariffin joined the Stellar Ace team in 2021 as its head ideator, brand, marketing and creative. He was responsible for telling the brand marketing story across its offline and online platforms with new technology and creativity.

Explore transformative trends to empower your brand for sustainable growth. Join 500+ marketing minds at Digital Marketing Asia 2024 Singapore on 1-2 October and uncover transformative trends to empower your brand, network with industry leaders and collaborate across industries, and discover real-life marketing wins and powerful ideas.

Related articles:
Shabirin Ariffin steps down from Stellar Ace
OOH players respond as LTA looks to consolidate bus ad management under one operator
Edelman nabs new head of digital for Southeast Asia