David Soo
Managing Director
PHD
Malaysia
From humble beginnings as a cook right out of high school, David Soo honed his culinary craft before hanging up his apron and venturing into advertising. Well, his mother likes to point out, he was always more interested in cooking up conversation than food.
He crammed his diploma in nine months, aiming to start at a local firm. Dreaming of something bigger, he rode his bike to hand-deliver his CV, with Bates answering the call. Promoted yearly, Soo rose through the ranks at Bates, managed Astana in Indonesia, and was headhunted by Arachnid, one of Malaysia's first home-grown digital agencies. Marketers used to say: "If you want a digital pioneer in Malaysia — David Soo is your guy."
As chief integration officer at Publicis One, he broke down creative, digital, and media silos for global brands like P&G, BMW, and Dutch Lady. With Invictus Blue, he steered the agency through rebranding from Zenith Malaysia, clinching a Grand Prix and Digital Impact of the Year at the 2022 dAwards.
At PHD, Soo has led the agency to consecutive Media Agency of the Year metals in 2023 and 2024, with 100% client retention through 2025 and 130% growth over three years. He turned PHD Malaysia into a regional hub for multiple clients, with OPPO extending to a global remit. Awards quadrupled under his leadership, with 54 in 2025 — the highest in PHD Malaysia's history.
A committed Apple loyalist—to the products, not the Steve Jobs myth—Soo’s leadership style is closer to Tim Cook: less ego, more systems, and a firm belief that brands are built by teams, not individuals.
To Quote: "David leads with his heart on his sleeve, always putting his clients and people first. David’s knack to engage and win clients over is his strong suit…" - Eileen Ooi, APAC CEO, PHD
