MCA’s New MD for Asia: “Trust Is Earned Through Consistently Delivering”

As Murphy Cobb & Associates (MCA) continues to strengthen its global footprint and doubles down on the future of production, the company welcomes a new managing director for Asia, Geri Tay. With extensive experience of senior client-facing leadership across Asia, she has a clear mission to modernise how clients plan, create and invest in content in the region.

Interestingly, this isn’t Geri’s first encounter with MCA as she has previously freelanced with the consultancy early in her career. Returning to MCA was a simple decision based on its commitment to challenging outdated production models, specifically in markets, like Asia, where traditional approaches still dominate. Bolstered by YFM’s recent investment, Geri sees an opportunity to push the boundaries of production innovation by introducing AI, virtual production and tech-led solutions to help marketers across Asia rethink how content gets made.

Looking at the production landscape in Asia and how it’s embedded within a global context, Geri identifies the main pressure points: tightening budgets, rising costs, and an exploding demand for faster, smarter, multi-format content. Her goals for the year ahead are clear – to elevate MCA’s presence, champion production intelligence, and help clients unlock efficiencies without compromise on quality or craft.

Below, LBB got to know more about Geri’s past career experience, why trust is a key component in client relationships, and her commitment to “getting every client in the region to fully embrace production transformation.”

LBB> Geri, your career experience is extensive. Why did you decide to join MCA at this moment – what attracted you to the company and this particular role?

Geri> I’m not exactly new to MCA – I actually freelanced with the team over a decade ago, so I’ve long known the kind of value MCA brings to clients. And honestly, that value matters even more today. The industry is at a crossroad: budgets are tightening, inflation is creeping up, technology is constantly changing, and marketers are under pressure to deliver more content, in more formats, faster than ever.

However the traditional production model, especially in Asia, hasn’t kept up. What drew me back to MCA is that it is constantly challenging that status quo. We now look way beyond traditional content production and with YFM’s recent investment, we can further advance our technology, expand our expertise and capabilities. Allowing us to better support our clients in their content production challenges.

LBB> What are your goals and priorities for MCA in Asia over the next 12 months?

Geri> My north star isn’t just growth, that’s a given. I see a real opportunity for MCA to build a stronger brand presence in Asia – to help brands understand how we can support them to plan better, create smarter, and use their budgets more effectively. I want MCA to become the trusted voice in production intelligence across the region. As I mentioned earlier, many marketers here are still working within the old content production model. I’d like to help shift that. Bringing in more tech-led solutions – from AI to virtual production – is something I’m excited to introduce and drive with my clients.

LBB> Having spent over a decade in client-facing executive roles, how are your past experiences going to shape your approach to the new role?

Geri> I’ve always believed that real relationships are built on trust, and trust is earned through consistently delivering, or better yet, over-delivering. That’s why honesty is fundamental, because once trust is broken, it’s incredibly difficult to rebuild.
When I work with clients, I naturally integrate with their team – brainstorming, problem solving, offering ideas and solutions. Over time, that partnership strengthens and they start coming to me for just about anything.

LBB> Asia presents diverse markets, cultures and media ecosystems. What are the biggest opportunities, and critical challenges, you see for production-investment optimisation in the region?

Geri> Across the region, markets sit at very different levels of maturity – from highly tech-driven Korea to emerging economies in Southeast Asia. The opportunity is to create regional consistency while preserving the local creativity that makes each market unique. This also means helping clients maximise their production investment by designing content that can work across multiple markets.

The key challenge is shifting how clients think about content production investment optimisation. Many still equate this with cost cutting when it’s really about looking at ways to produce content that drive efficiency, increase value, and reduce potential risks that could disrupt production and ultimately inflate costs.

There’s also a cultural layer to consider; in some markets production transparency can be sensitive especially where relationships have influenced decisions. We need to reposition transparency as a source of empowerment, something that strengthens decision-making rather than exposes it.

LBB> MCA positions itself as a ‘content production investment optimisation’ consultancy for global brands. How will you localise that offer for Asia while maintaining global standards?

Geri> The core MCA model doesn’t change – our way of optimising production investment remains consistent globally. What we can localise is the audience we apply it to. In Asia, the opportunity is to bring this proven model to regional brands that are now scaling beyond their home markets. Brands like BYD, Huawei and Shein originated in China but have since expanded worldwide – and they need the same global-standard production rigour that MCA delivers for international clients.

Bottom line: we maintain global consistency in how we work, while empowering Asian brands to compete on a global stage with smarter, more transparent and more efficient production investment.

LBB> Sustainability, transparency and technology are some of MCA’s market-leading strengths. What kind of appetite is there for these in your market?

Geri> Multinationals are pushing for sustainability KPIs, but many local and home-grown APAC clients still see sustainability as a ‘nice-to-have’ rather than a ‘must-have’. Unless it directly drives top-line growth or is mandated by regulation, budget allocation remains cautious. Transparency on the other hand is non-negotiable. Clients in APAC are extremely cost-conscious and want full visibility into where every cent is spent: line-item clarity, third-party verification and proof of value is expected.

Technology – AI adoption is the accelerant. Clients are aggressively looking for efficiency gains through automation, generative AI in creative and planning, and AI-driven media optimisation. In a high-CPM, fragmented region like APAC, any tool that can improve targeting, or speed up execution grabs attention.

LBB> What will success look like to you as the MD for Asia?

Geri> Success, to me, is getting every client in the region to fully embrace production transformation – helping them take that leap into AI, virtual production, and other new ways of producing content. It’s about giving themselves the chance to experience the speed, flexibility, and creative possibilities that these technologies unlock.