Chris Kyme opens own start-up, Kymechow

Kymechow will work across all disciplines including advertising, design, online, with both a local and a regional focus. Kymechow is a combination of the founder's surname and that of his wife - but it also closely resembles a Cantonese word for 'bold and daring creativity'.

Joining Kyme (pictured) are senior executives including former Eight Partnership Lorraine Liu as CD and Justina Law, who previously worked for Ogilvy & Mather and FCB, as client service director.

Kymechow’s launch clients include regional creative accounts for Montblanc and Sun Life Financial, brand development for DKSH's food services division, and human resources consultancy Towers Watson. It has also been appointed by Unicef to create its first ever Hong Kong awareness campaign, to be launched this year.

Kyme said the start up had been quietly securing business before announcing the launch. “Our clients are all to be on-going business and we will not be outsourcing creative to other agencies,” he said.

“Our business will focus on giving personal, senior attention to clients who themselves are at the most senior level," he added. “My belief then is that the creative work and business performance will benefit from this - it is where many big agencies are going wrong."

Kyme is a well-known figure on the Asian ad scene and has worked in the industry for  25 years. His previous employers have included Grey, and FCB, and he resigned from Eight Partnership as creative partner last April. Kyme has been chairman of the Hong Kong 4As' award show three times.  His awards credentials include One Show, Award Australia, Asian Advertising Awards, New York Festivals, London International and Hong Kong 4As.