CAREERS: Upton joins Filter Group and returns to Singapore

Upton was appointed for the job at Filter Group because he understood Asia, had a knowledge of marketing through the web and was also an experienced youth marketer, explained Ian Stewart, co-founder and director of The Filter Group.The group has offices in Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

In the UK, Upton worked for Leo Burnett's digital marketing division Leonardo, helping design websites and create online campaigns. Projects which he worked on included the redesign of Morgan Stanley's European website.

Upton returned to Singapore partly for personal reasons as his wife is Singaporean.

He also knows some of the people at Filter Group including the agency's Singapore country head, Andrew Ing.

The two worked together from 1994 to 1997 at Zouk nightclub in the city state.

Upton was the nightclub's head designer responsible for its website and creating promotional and marketing materials, while Ing was marketing manager. He said working for Zouk gave him enormous creative freedom and an insight into the psyche of young people living in Asia's urban centres.

Upton also worked with Stewart from 1997-99 at MTV Asia where he was a senior designer.

He helped design the pay-TV channel's first website and worked with MTV's on-air sponsors. "What I got from MTV was experience at working with brands in a youth environment and this experience will be useful to Filter,

explained Upton.

Filter's clients include Levi's, Coca-Cola, Foster's and Nokia.