TBWA’s Asia president Ian Pearman has decided to leave the agency to join a startup in Singapore. Ian Pearman had only been in the role for 22 months having moved from London to take up the Singapore-based role.

After 23 years in the advertising business, Pearman will join a new venture. Troy Ruhanen, the president and chief executive officer of TBWA Worldwide said, Pearman has helped to fuel the existing momentum around innovation for the Asia collective.

He has led a great team who will continue to create disruptive work and run a suite of business offerings that will help our clients capture a greater share of the future, Troy added.

In the meantime, Philip Brett, the TBWA\Worldwide chief operating officer, who served as president of TBWA Asia based out of Singapore for years, will provide support until a successor is named.

A Cambridge University graduate, Pearman has also studied at Harvard Business School.