Global independent agency Bastion has announced a key leadership transition, appointing Cheuk Chiang as Group Chief Executive Officer. Co-founder and current Group CEO, Jack Watts, will take on the role of Executive Director, where he will focus on Bastion’s strategic growth initiatives.
Founded in 2009 by brothers Fergus and Jack Watts, Bastion has grown into one of the largest independent agencies globally, serving top-tier brands like Kellogg’s, Spotify, Air New Zealand, L’Oréal, Ferrari, Salesforce, Unilever, and Bunnings Warehouse.
Reflecting on the agency’s journey, Jack Watts said:
“The past 16 years have been an extraordinary journey; to build a global business from scratch in any industry is something rare. An integral part of the growth and longevity of Bastion has been our continued evolution, knowing that what got us here, won’t get us there.”
“Working with Cheuk as CEO of our ANZ business over the past year has been eye-wateringly fun. He possesses a remarkable skill set, with the proven experience to lead not just a team of 350, but teams as large as 3,000.
“I’m excited to see the impact that Cheuk will now have across our broader group. Personally, I’m energised to spend a lot more time working with our people to solve our clients’ biggest problems with new offerings and capabilities that help give them a competitive advantage.”
Cheuk Chiang brings extensive leadership experience from roles at Dentsu and Omnicom and will now focus on accelerating Bastion’s global expansion. His priorities include strengthening multi-market campaigns, expanding regional services, and deepening client relationships.
“It’s an honour to take the reins from Jack and lead Bastion into its next phase,” said Chiang.
“We are uniquely positioned to meet the needs of the modern marketer through our world-class integrated end-to-end offering. Our global platform enables us to deliver truly integrated, best- in-class work with local insight and I’m energised to build on this strong foundation. Looking ahead, our vision is to scale Bastion to be the world’s strongest independent network driving innovation, embracing emerging technologies and expanding our global footprint while staying true to our entrepreneurial spirit.
Chiang added:
“A lot of agencies talk a good game when it comes to integration however very few can deliver that with deep expertise. At Bastion, we are proud to consistently deliver truly integrated campaigns that put our clients in a position of strength. Bastion has always been very humble when it comes to promoting itself, however it’s time that the world sees what we are truly capable of.”
Chairman Fergus Watts, Bastion’s founding Group CEO, will oversee the transition. He emphasized that the leadership change is part of a long-term strategy to ensure sustainable growth beyond the founders.
“This is more than just a leadership change, it’s a natural progression for our business,” said Fergus Watts. “Cheuk’s appointment is the culmination of a 5-year plan to ensure Bastion does not fall victim to what hampers most agency’s growth, which is an ongoing dependency on the founders. This business is bigger than any one person. It is and always has been about delivering exceptional results for our clients.
“Our ambition is to build one of the strongest independent agencies in the world. Having done that across Australia and New Zealand, it is now time to cement our strategy across the USA and focus our further expansion into Asia.
“Cheuk is the right person to lead our people, clients and partners into the next chapter putting them in a position of strength and I look forward to supporting him in unlocking the full potential of our global network.”
With this leadership transition, Bastion continues its mission to drive innovation, embrace emerging technologies, and deliver world-class results for clients on a global scale.
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