#IAmMerkle is a series of interviews that showcase the incredible individuals who make Merkle a unique and diverse place to work. This time, we spoke to Emily Han, Chief Client Officer of Merkle Singapore, who is celebrating her third work anniversary with us!

We’ve always joked that Emily came to the dark side when she joined us, as she used to be a client but is now working at an agency. After all, most people in agencies are looking to move to brands. But after 17 years with brands, Emily embraced the challenge and, in the blink of an eye, has spent three fruitful years with us. 

In an interview, Emily told us about her experience at Merkle Singapore:

Q: You moved from predominantly marketing roles in your career to being the Chief Client Officer at Merkle Singapore. How was the experience? 

My focus is on client satisfaction and growth. Based on my experiences, I am acutely aware of what clients want and how their needs fit into their broader business objectives. It helps me ask the right questions, connect with clients, rally our teams together and deliver tailored solutions for clients. 

Q: Now that you have worked in both agency and brand, how can both parties work better together? 

The term “partnership” has often been used loosely but is fundamental to the success of any agency-client relationship.  Like any relationship, the pillars of trust and communication cannot be over-emphasized.  

At Merkle, we build trust by delivering excellent work for our clients on time, every time. Trust is not built on one wow moment but through the consistent, almost monotonous, day-to-day delivery.  As such, delivering on scope becomes a hygiene factor and our delivery teams are constantly finding new ideas for our clients to win, with theirs too.  

Trust is the currency that earns you the right to have an open conversation, which may not be rosy but almost always necessary.  It takes courage and confidence to say no to a client, especially when the stakes are high.  However, I believe there should be no sacred cows if we are to work together to achieve a common goal.  

I am grateful for the clients that have trusted us through our growing years.  As we mature as an organisation, we seek out that partnership element even more.  It is no coincidence that our most satisfied clients are those who have trusted us and seen it pay off.

Q: What have the past three years been like for you at Merkle Singapore?

A:  There is never a dull moment! I have enjoyed building our Client Success team from scratch, uncovering business opportunities within our network, managing our top-tier clients and winning awards.  The endless opportunity to learn and develop excites me and spurs me to grow both the business and personally.  

Q: Any last thoughts?

A: Even with the recent Agency of the Year win, we see more mountains that we want to scale.  I am looking forward to us changing the scene with our innovations in data, technology and marketing. 

Read the blog that Emily contributed about the client-agency relationship. 

If you like to join the Merkle team in Singapore, reach out to us at: merklesg-jobs@merkleinc.com