mCanvas taps internal leader to helm Malaysia operations

Glonal ad technology company mCanvas has appointed Tan Lee Wen (pictured) as country director for Malaysia, marking a leadership step up as the company looks to deepen its presence in the local digital marketing landscape.

In her new role, Tan will oversee the company’s strategy and growth in the Malaysian market, reporting to Akshay Nandoskar, Southeast Asia director at mCanvas, and Rishi Sharma, vice president at the company.

Tan stepped into the country director position earlier this year, after spending around two years with the agency as senior client partnership manager and associate director. Prior to joining mCanvas, she's been at Ventes Avenues, Digital Turbine, Innity, and Karen Millen handling accounts and also sales. 

“My primary responsibility is driving market penetration and sustainable scaling for mCanvas within the region,” she said. “I oversee our end-to-end commercial strategy, which involves identifying untapped verticals for our digital solutions and optimising the sales funnel to consistently meet aggressive quarterly targets.”

Beyond commercial performance, Tan will also focus on building strategic partnerships with agencies and brands. “I will be personally nurturing high-level relationships with top-tier agencies and brands to ensure we are their preferred mobile-first partner,” she added. “Ultimately, I serve as the strategic bridge between our global vision and local market execution.”

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Having already led the Malaysian market previously as associate director, Tan said the new appointment brings both confidence and fresh motivation. “I certainly feel a foundation of confidence, but stepping into this role brings a genuine newfound excitement,” she said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity, and I’ll be honest, there is a real sense of pressure that comes with it.”

“I feel a deep responsibility to deliver, but I’m channeling that into the challenges ahead. It isn’t just about things ‘coming naturally’ anymore, it’s about taking everything I’ve learned and using it to push mCanvas to a much higher level.”

Looking ahead, Tan believes the company’s role in Malaysia’s digital ecosystem is to move the conversation beyond impressions towards meaningful engagement. “In the wider Malaysian digital scene, mCanvas plays the role of an attention driver,” she said. “We recognise that the modern consumer is constantly shifting between screens, so we’ve positioned ourselves to own that journey.”

She explained that the company aims to connect storytelling across channels, from mobile display to connected TV and push notifications, creating a seamless bridge from brand awareness to consumer intent.

To stay competitive in the fast-evolving adtech landscape, Tan said the company is focused on both innovation and strategic expansion, pointing to the acquisition of Opinary as an example. The integration of its poll-based technology, she added, allows the company to capture zero-party data and better understand genuine user interest.

“However, technology is only half the story,” Tan said. “We don’t just deliver a campaign, we validate it with deep-dive Lumen attention reports and brand lift studies, providing a 360-degree view of impact.”

In other agency moves around the region, Publicis Groupe APAC has created a new leadership role and named Naomi Michael as its chief communications officer for the region, effective 9 March 2026. Based in Singapore, she will oversee the agency's regional communications strategy across markets and capabilities, reporting to Jane Lin-Baden, CEO of APAC.

Meanwhile, McCann Singapore has appointed Rajiv Jayaraj as general manager, reinforcing the agency’s push towards a social-first, always-on model for regional brands. In a dual role, he will also lead McCann Content Studios, the agency’s integrated offering for social, content, production, and influencer initiatives.

Elsewhere, WPP Media has appointed Tina Chen as its next chief executive officer for the China market, succeeding Rupert McPetrie, who will step down from the role at the end of June. She will report to Mark Patterson, global president - markets and business operations, WPP Media.

And Havas Malaysia has just unveiled a series of senior appointments last week, as the agency looks to deepen expertise and further integrate its "Village" model across creative, CX, and health. New additions include Ie-Tsen Cheng who joins as business director, Keith Ho who was appointed senior planning director, and Allen Liew who has been promoted to creative technologist, Havas CX.

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