McCann Southeast Asia regional creative director Philip Rowell quits

Rowell moved from Bangkok to Singapore in July last year but said he found the experience unsatisfying.

"Singapore is a pleasant place, but the market is small,” he said. “I need a bigger sandpit to play in, with a few more ups and downs."

Rowell will be setting up a new agency, Desire Creation Systems, based in Tokyo and Bangkok, with local Thai and Japanese partners.

 "McCann has been a great experience for the past seven years, and has been a class outfit, but things change, and a new decade is a good time to do something new," added Rowell.