Business Director (Tobacco)

VML; Kuala Lumpur; Hybrid; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

VML in Kuala Lumpur is seeking a Business Director to lead senior client relationships and guide strategic campaigns. You will coordinate resources, brief designers and copywriters, manage budgets, and ensure campaigns run smoothly.

This office-based role blends meetings with client interaction in a hybrid work model; travel to client sites is occasional. You will work with multiple interagency partners to deliver integrated campaigns and grow existing accounts.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in professional client relationship management.
• Strategically sound with understanding of brand strategy and ATL processes.
• Experience working with multiple interagency partners outside the WPP network.
• Occasional travel for client meetings and presentations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong team management and budget awareness.
• Knowledge of creative processes and digital platforms.

Responsibilities

• Take the lead in clients’ marketing and advertising strategies.
• Lead a team to deliver high levels of client service.
• Liaise with senior client contacts on day-to-day basis.
• Promote expansion of business with existing clients.
• Collaborate with internal agency teams to win new accounts.
• Ensure projects are completed on schedule and within budget.
• Apply strategic and creative thinking to client campaigns.

Skills

Client relationship management

Strategic thinking

Team leadership

Budget management

Job description

Who We Are

VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brandsthat drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100.VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore.

VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel.

For more information, please visit www.vml.com and follow along on LinkedIn #WeAreVML.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Primarily responsible for the management of relationships with clients. As the senior point of contact for an agency’s customers, the Business Director also co‐ordinates the resources needed to service projects, builds strategic operational plans and balances the expectations of clients with the execution of creative work. The Business Director ensures the smooth production of campaigns – from briefing designers and copywriters, to managing budgets and possibly a team executives. On the whole, this is an office‐based role and the Business Director will spend time in meetings and briefings, as well as remaining in close contact with key clients.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Taking a lead in clients’ marketing and advertising strategies
• Leading a team to provide the utmost level of client service
• Liaising with clients at a senior level (marketing manager) on a day ‑to‑day basis
• Promoting the expansion of business with existing clients
• Working with other within the agency to generate new accounts
• Completing projects to a specific schedule and within an agreed budget
• Skills to push clients and the agency creatively and strategically

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE & DEMONSTRATED BEHAVIOURS

• Significant experience in professional client relationship management
• Must be strategically sound and able to understand brand strategy and process of delivering a ATL. Previous experience on FMGC will be good.
• Must have experience working with multiple interagency (not within WPP network) i.e Digital agency, Media agency, PR agency, Experiential agency
• Occasional travel is usually required for client meeting/presentation, new business presentations, planning and brief taking (in client’s office).
• The ability to work with other inter‑agencies to deliver an integrated communication campaignA persuasive and confident approach to creative projects
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Effective team management capabilities
• A keen attention to detail and budgetary restraints
• Full awareness of creative processes and techniques – including ATL and digital platforms

We believe the best work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That’s why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.