Chow Kok Keong (KK), the Chief Creative Officer at INNOCEAN Indonesia, is stepping down after a remarkable two-and-a-half-year tenure, during which he led a significant creative transformation for the agency. KK joined INNOCEAN in 2022 with the mission to revolutionize the in-house creative team, bringing his wealth of experience from his previous role as Regional Executive Creative Director at Hakuhodo, where he managed Southeast Asia’s creative direction. During his time at INNOCEAN, KK’s leadership resulted in a significant uplift in the agency’s creative profile and growth, especially in Indonesia, Singapore, and other regions.
Under KK’s guidance, the agency achieved remarkable success, including securing its first-ever D&AD Yellow Pencil for Project #YellowCanteen, along with two Graphite Pencils and two Shortlists. This accomplishment helped INNOCEAN reach a historic all-time high, ranking #2 in Asia and #29 globally in the D&AD 2024 Rankings. KK’s ability to lead with creativity and his persistence in pushing boundaries helped the agency achieve great milestones in a short period.
KK’s career in the creative industry spans more than two decades, with over 260 international awards to his name, including five D&AD Pencils, four One Show Gold Pencils, and numerous accolades at prestigious events such as Cannes Lions and Clio. His leadership style was focused on pushing his team to stay ahead of industry trends and continuously embrace new technologies, ensuring that INNOCEAN’s campaigns remained fresh, innovative, and impactful.
Reflecting on his journey, KK shared that his time at INNOCEAN had been both rewarding and challenging, but now, after a period of hard work and dedication, he looks forward to taking a break to recharge and spend quality time with his family before moving on to new endeavors. Despite his departure, KK’s influence will remain embedded in the agency’s culture of creativity and innovation, which he fostered through collaborative brainstorming sessions and his commitment to delivering high-quality work.
INNOCEAN Indonesia, founded in 2020, has seen significant growth under KK’s leadership, securing new business and earning recognition at creative award shows regionally and globally. Although there is always room for improvement, KK’s guidance has undoubtedly set the agency on a path to continued success, pushing the team to constantly strive for excellence. His legacy of fostering creativity and pushing boundaries will continue to resonate with the agency and the broader creative community.
