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Curriculum Vitæ

GRAY 譚HAM國Kok耀Yew

I’m a graduate of Leeds Beckett University (formerly known as Leeds Metropolitan University) with a degree in Design (Digital), and an alumnus of The University of Manchester where I studied Computer Science. A multi-disciplinary Creative specializing in long-term marketing strategies that include branding, community building, and user experience with an emphasis on the Digital medium. Previous work ranges from Front-of-House service staff to Agency experience.

Dungeonmaster, Planeswalker. Gamer Geek; MOVIC & KakiTabletop Curator, Sips & Savours Foodie, Streamer; Designer, Writer, Senior Analyst, Creative Planner, Community Networker. Digital Strategist.

Campaign Planning & Copywriting

pilih.my (Zeno Malaysia)2015Undi Malaysia
If You Were A 2 in 1 (Zeno Malaysia)2016Intel Malaysia
Kaijucon-012018KakiTabletop
Durex Real Feels Card Game2018Durex Malaysia
Mancunians Connect 20192019UoMAAMThe University of Manchester Alumni Association of Malaysia
#RayaBersama #EasyRecipeasy2020KITKAT Malaysia
Lindungi diri, Lindungi semua.2021JKJAVThe Special Committee for Ensuring Access to COVID-19 Vaccine Supply
Major campaigns I’ve been involved with.
Leeds Met Elections 20142014Campaign planning, copywriting.
cincai, Manchester Malaysian Night 2010Planning, copywriting, storyboarding.
Colourblind, Manchester Malaysian Night 2009Planning, copywriting, storyboarding.
Legend of 年 (nián)2008Scriptwriting, storyboarding.
Other campaigns I’ve been involved with.
Critical Study of Digital Sociability as a design concern for Designers in the Digital Age2014Leeds Beckett University
Hikikomori in the Noosphere2013Leeds Metropolitan University
Anonymous2011The University of Manchester
Academic Writing.

Key Skills

Leadership– manages and organizes Game Masters for various events around the country
– elected as General Representative on the Student Representative Council 
– represented Leeds (and formerly Manchester) at student forums
Visionary– founded KakiTabletop.com, a network of tabletop gaming communities to advocate the hobby, and to support the local tabletop game design industry and gamer community.
– a long history of founding multiple student organizations and local community outreach
– looks at the bigger picture of the industry’s development, and the community’s trajectory
Social Networking & Communication– provide social media and marketing consultation services to small businesses and their owners on a freelance basis
– presented and hosted regional discussions on social media and communications
– tech support for reporters and editors while working for the student union newspaper
Analytics, Social Listening, Media BuyerI’ve picked up years of experience in various digital/web/social performance analytics, worked with various social listening tools, delved into the inner workings of DMPs, collaborated with many Media Buyers (and buy social media ads on a personal basis.)
Strategy & Adaptabilityable to leverage personal charisma and form comprehensive plans to build hype and excitement for a product or idea. Can cope with the fluidity of memetic networks.
Web Design skillsweb designing since 2003. Progressed from static markup pages to dynamic elements. Familiar with many accessibility issues. Strives to produce interesting UX (user experiences) with usable UI (user interfaces).
Graphic Design skillsmore than a decade of experience with photo-manipulation software. Favours Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite of software. Focus: branding, icon and logo design.
Material, Luminaire, Spatial designhas experience working with various materials ranging from wood, metals, plastics; designing light installations; some experience with 3D modelling and prototyping.
Fluencyfamiliarity with up to five human languages: English, Malay, Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin), German, Japanese.
Taekwondoblack belt
Gray of many trades.

Bragging Rights

July 2005long before the term Web 2.0 and Social Web came into use, I had tried to mash up a few CMS (namely phpBB, WordPress, MediaWiki) into one massive website, the goal was to have a hypertext-based collaborative medium. I called mine the Semantic Multi-User Domain (SMUD).
Nov 2005had helped come up with the idea for a Foki, the bastard child of a Forums with Wiki functionality, comments, etc. Today’s Google Wave.
Mar 2008was part of a group that started a project to gather directory data for an urban geo-mapping in Kuala Lumpur, including shop categories, contact information, geo-location, and shop-front photos. Today’s Google Street View + Foursquare (Yelp may be a better comparison).
May 2009Discussed the concept of the Cybersphere a.k.a. Noosphere at a futureeverything conference side-event called #smc_manchester 
Mar 18, 2010came up with an idea for a one-stop check-in for today’s big three geolocation services: Brightkite, Foursquare, Gowalla. Today’s check.in (born a week after I suggested it).
Sep 2012founder of two student societies at the Leeds Metropolitan Students’ Union: the Leeds Metropolitan Oriental Networking Society (LEMONS), and the Leeds Met Modern Visual Culture Society (MOVIC).
Feb 2014Ran in the Leeds Met Students’ Union as a candidate for the role of Vice President Activities and came, runner-up.
Feb 2015started the D&D Malaysian Adventurers League in stores nationwide. 
May 2015founded the RolePlaying Gamers of Malaysia, advocating a whole new segment of the tabletop gaming industry and community in Malaysia. 
Jan 2017Kickstarted a series of events called Alphameets with the Tabletop Game Designers of Malaysia (TTGDMY), to boost the local tabletop game design industry in Malaysia. 
Apr 2017went on a road trip to various states around Malaysia as KakiTabletop.com to connect with various hobby communities nationwide, and to support the local tabletop game design industry and gamer community.
Sep 2018Featured in a number of interviews: interviewed about my community-building efforts for the local D&D and tabletop gaming communities, and Representing Malaysian students in a British Council campaign.
Mar 2021Brought the KakiTabletop.com project to the next level with an international store directory and a local game designer hall of fame; and is featured in local/regional marketing videos by “Wizards of the Coast” for multiple games such as “Magic: the Gathering” and “Dungeons & Dragons”
Bleeding-edge, technical milestones that have had an impact on society.

Education

2011 – 2014The Leeds School of Art, Architecture & Design, Leeds Metropolitan University, UNITED KINGDOM (now known as Leeds Beckett University)Design Digital (B.A.)
Nov 2011Cambridge ESOL / British Council / IDP: IAInternational English Language Testing System: 8.5/9.0
2008 – 2011School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester,
UNITED KINGDOM
Computer Science (Certificate of Higher Education)
2006 – 2008A-Level Department, HELP University College, MALAYSIAGCE Advanced Level (Edexcel): Mathematics (B), Physics (B), Chemistry (D), Further Mathematics (E)
2001 – 2005Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Hartamas, MALAYSIASijil Pelajaran Malaysia (Malaysian Certificate of Education): Malay Language (6C), English Language (1A), Moral Studies (6C), History (2A), Mathematics (1A), Additional Mathematics (4B), Physics (2A), Chemistry (2A), Biology (5C), English for Science and Technology (2A)
2004Japanese Language Society of MALAYSIAJLPT4
2004Goethe-Institut MALAYSIABasic German
Curriculum Vitæ

Work Experience

Apr 2022 – PresentSenior Analyst, Magnum 4D BerhadHead of Customer Insights; consulting with internal stakeholders within the Customer Experience department, the Marketing team, and the wider company, to consolidate languages of success, helping to spearhead and guide quarterly campaign plans with data-driven insights. Strive for higher digital literacy within the company, and self-initiated a digital audit to consolidate a decade of digital marketing efforts.
Jan – Mar 2022Senior Digital Strategist, The Alchemy Social Pte. Ltd. (SG)Remote Work: aligned marketing plans with the account managers and media buyers; did copy-writing and planning advertising plans, Email marketing assets, etc. Clients included BizChamp International College (SG), Car Empire Automobiles Pte. Ltd. (SG), Food Culture Pte. Ltd. (SG), Hysses Singapore Pte. Ltd., Kovernow Pte. Ltd. (SG), 글루가 (Ohora) 주식회사 글루가 (Gluga Co., Ltd. KR), La Parfumerie Pte. Ltd., Specialist Pain International Clinic (SG), Sixth Senses Aromatics LLP (SG), etc.
July – Dec 2021Digital Strategist, FCB Kuala Lumpurconsulting with clients, and working with various stakeholders and agencies on their digital communication needs; providing strategic planning and growth analysis support for our team while developing always-on and short term social media campaigns. As the lead strategist of the social media team, he works closely with the creative team, project managers, etc. for clients such as Cotra Enterprises, Genting Group, Hawley & Hazel, Nutravita, Pepsico, redONE, Sun Life, etc.
Sept 2020 – Jun 2021Social Media Specialist, Grey Group Malaysia (WPP plc)consulting with clients, and working with various stakeholders and agencies on their digital communication needs; providing strategic planning and growth analysis support for our team while developing always-on and short term social media campaigns; social media monitoring & listening. As part of the social media team, he works closely with the creative team, project managers, etc. for clients such as unifi (Telekom Malaysia), COWAY, Carlsberg Group, KENANGA, PT. Sasa Inti (Indonesia), various government ministries, etc.
Dec 2017 – Aug 2020Social Media Specialist, Wunderman Thompson Malaysia / AGENDA (WPP plc)consulting with clients, and working with various stakeholders and agencies on their digital communication needs; providing strategic planning and growth analysis support for our team while developing always-on and short term social media campaigns; providing creative support in the form of copywriting, translating (English and Malay) and social media monitoring; responding and managing their online communities on social media (customer relations management). As part of the social media team, he works closely with the designers on graphic design and web design for clients such as Colgate-Palmolive (Colgate, Softlan), Reckitt Benckiser (Durex, Harpic, Strepsils), FrieslandCampina (Dutch Lady, Friso Gold), LEGO, unifi (Telekom Malaysia, Marigold Malaysia (HL Milk, Peel Fresh, etc.), HONOR (Huawei) Technologies, NestlĂ© (KITKAT), etc.
Nov 2016 – Nov 2017Grayle Creatives + FreelancingSelf-initiated, three-man digital marketing & design agency.
Aug – Oct 2016Communications Consultant, Marcus Gomez & Partnersconsulting with clients on a one-on-one basis, preparing proposals, writing, translating, copy editing, proofreading, designing, and finally delivering projects that range from lifestyle pieces to technical articles for various local and international clients such as ÆON Credit, MIDA, TĂśV SĂśD, etc.


Jan 2015 – July 2016
Junior Creative Planner, Zeno Group, Kuala Lumpurjoined Zeno Malaysia in January 2015 as an Associate Executive, fearlessly providing social media support for various clients in the form of copywriting and social media monitoring. As part of the creative team, he works closely with the designers on graphic design and web design for clients such as Intel, PacketOne Networks, Lenovo, etc.
Sept 2014 – Oct 2014International Administrator, Leeds Beckett Universityas part of the Postgraduate team of the International Office, tasks ranged from being an efficient paper monkey, processing incoming applicants and filing them away, helping the staff piece together the academic/work histories of some of the more complicated foreign applicants, calling various agents around the world to confirm details and request paperwork, answering calls and appointments with students and applicants alike in person or over the phone. I have gained a lot of experience in assessing applications, speaking to applicants and their agents worldwide from every continent, using database systems such as BANNER, and addressing international educational concerns.
Oct 2013 – Oct 2014International Student Ambassador, Leeds Beckett Universityas one of the Marketing Ambassadors specifically hired to promote the university to International students, duties include blogging, posting online, and chatting with potential international students. During the Freshers’ Fortnight, also known as the university’s Welcome Week, I was posted at the Rose Bowl Student Hub to assist with answering various queries from International students with getting registered, enrolled, etc. I have also acted as a tour guide during the university’s open day and freshers’ weeks. My duties also included welcoming, meeting, and greeting International students who had just arrived in Leeds at the Leeds Railway Station, and Leeds Bradford International Airport. I’ve been put on the postgraduate conversion team, where I am tasked with calling many would-be postgraduate students regarding their offer to study at Leeds Beckett University. This includes a lot of correspondence, talking to them about student life and lifestyles here, and reassuring them as a fellow International student. Countries we called include Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mauritius, Russia, Canada, Colombia.
April – June 2014Web Administrator, Leeds Metropolitan Universityupdating of Health Trainers website for Health and Social Sciences Research and Enterprise team; escalated to a complete overhaul of their website along with a refactoring of the information architecture to serve as a repository of knowledge for the English national health industry.
Jan – June 2014Front-of-House Staff, Wasabi Sushi & Bento, Leedsmy first time working in the service industry. Duties include constant communication and coordination with other members of staff from two branches and kitchen, serving customers, manning the tills. The job was made more challenging by the fact this was Wasabi’s first outlet outside of London.
Nov – Dec 2013Digital Marketing & Design, Subvert Leedsasked to join the founding organizers of an alternative student-led gig-night in Leeds. I came up with the name, the logo, and acted as chief of online marketing for the group.
Sep 2012Design Studio Internship, Loop.pH, Londonworked with the fabrication team for the duration of my internship, on a project called EnergyFutures: a set of urban intervention pieces in Lille, France that was to showcase the future of bioengineering to the French public.
April – July 2012Social Media Community Manager, Ning Restaurantsplanned and implemented a new social media strategy that was expected to scale along with the growth of Ning Group of restaurants, Manchester & York outlets.
Jan – June 2011Head of the Creatives Network, Madgrape.net Corporation Ltd.worked with Madgrape to unify and re-combine their interconnected social media profiles and accounts, as well as their various groups of sub-brands.
2008 – 2009Webmaster, and web-designer, Student Direct, University of Manchester Students’ Uniongathered requirements and general usage patterns from each department of the newspaper; wrote a specifications document for a new website; actively discussed new features as they were requested for the website; increased the website’s visibility on the social web; converted custom hacks into WordPress plugins for the website; rewrote front-end markup as valid HTML.
2008Zig Zag group: Petaling Jaya, Malaysiajoined a start-up with the idea of creating a “web-based spatial directory” for local businesses; helped gather requirements and design an offshoot website that auctions items for charity.
2008Graphics and Web designer, Hatchling Games Sdn Bhd: Petaling Jaya, Malaysiawas hired as a web designer for a game-design startup that also did websites as an odd-job. wrote front-end markup and the stylesheets, then did the graphics, for a number of websites.
I have a lot of experience.

Volunteer Experience & Causes

2019Ordinary Committee Member, The University of Manchester Alumni Association of Malaysia – UMAAMhelped digitalize the internal committee, and plan/market some events.
Feb 2013Volunteer for the Chinese Games Workshop, Leeds Chinese Community Association (LCCA)worked at the “Chinese Games” room and taught numerous people (including children) how to play games such as Chinese Chess (XiangQi) 象棋 , GO (WeiQi) 圍棋 , and Chinese Checkers 中國跳棋.
Oct 2012 – Feb 2013Design, Publicity, & Film Crew, Malaysian & Singaporean Society of Leeds Union (MASSOC)Kaki Kaki Bang Bang: worked with MASSOC to produce Leeds’ first “Malaysian Night” in 4 years. Designed the production’s name, the logo, and other publicity material such as posters, flyers, tickets, etc. I also filmed the whole production on the night of the performance. Watch it all here.
2009session presenter at Social Media Cafe Manchester (#smc_mcr)active attendee of the monthly Unconference-style meetup for local social media enthusiasts; gave a number of presentations ranging from the expressivity of emoticons, to how-to make a CMS into a social web hub.
2008 – 2010Webmaster, Malaysian Students’ Society of Manchesterconverted the society’s accumulated 7-years of static HTML content into a WordPress-based blog (CMS); uploaded all the society’s multimedia onto media-sharing websites (like Flickr and YouTube) for members to share; created an online registration service for a large sports tournament; communicated well with the members of one of the largest international-student in Manchester society while serving as the most prominent web-facing committee member.
Dec 2004Secretary, ad hoc committee for a group of exchange students from Malaysia to Osaka, Japan organised by Hiroshima Kokusai International Clubassisted the programme organisers in allocating the participants during transport; managed communication between separate groups while in Japan.
June 2004Editor, 4 Marikh (2004), Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Hartamas, MALAYSIAexperienced the difficulties of leading a group as the editor of the school’s first class-produced newspaper. resolved design issues related to producing print; and distribution issues.
2004photographer, and graphics designer, Editorial Board, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Hartamas, MALAYSIAwas involved in the photography department and the graphics department of my secondary school’s Editorial Board that designs and publishes the school’s annual yearbook.
Voluntary, technical work.

Organisations, and Positions of Responsibility

June 2018Co-Founder, Kaijuconco-organized Malaysia’s most successful tabletop gaming convention; providing digital marketing expertise, social media communications strategies, as well as event planning and branding of the event.
May 2016 – presentFounder, KakiTabletop.combecame Malaysia’s foremost advocate of tabletop games, working with stores and local tabletop gaming communities on expanding their reach to a larger audience, and organizing junkets to various states promoting the hobby nationwide. Kickstarted a series of events called Alphameets with the Tabletop Game Designers of Malaysia (TTGDMY), to boost the local tabletop game design industry in Malaysia.

The community has since crossed into the thousands and boasts hyperlocal communities in every state in Malaysia, as well as Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Jun – Nov 2016Designer, CRE.aRT Expo 2016charged with the overall look and feel of Malaysia’s first prop-maker oriented event. Single-handedly designed a logo for the event, and all sub-event workshops and panels. Designed and produced a number of printed deliverables with a common design language.
Feb 2015 – Dec 2016Local Coordinator, D&D Adventurers Leaguestarted the Malaysian chapter of the ongoing official campaign for Dungeons & Dragons, the legendary fantasy role-playing game. Worked with stores on running regular sessions of D&D, as well as managing the social media and marketing aspects of the local community.
Sep 2013 – May 2014General Representative, Leeds Met Students’ Unionwas recently elected into office as a representative of the student body. Duties include attending the Student Representative Council (SRC) meetings.
2012 – 2014Founder & President, Leeds Metropolitan Asian Networking Societyseeing how the Leeds Met Students’ Union didn’t have any societies that represented any of the communities present at my university, I set out to found a “combined International society” for the whole of South-East Asia & the Far East. I also worked on branding and social media strategy for society.
2012 – presentCo-Founder & Editor, Modern Visual Culture Society (MOVIC)co-founded the “anime society” of Leeds Metropolitan Students’ Union, named with an aim at the diversity of membership in mind. Among the events organized were screenings, socials, and field trips. I also worked on branding and social media strategy for society.

Since 2017, I’ve revived our social media presence for a global community of fans.
2009 – 2010General Secretary, Malaysian Students’ Society of Manchester (MSSM)responsible for all paperwork and data organization for the society’s committee; official outward-facing correspondent for the committee.
2008 – 2009Committee member of the Computer Science Social Committee (CSSC), School of Computer Science, The University of Manchestera voluntary committee, that organizes events almost every week, an effort to remove the geeky stigma that comes with being stuck in front of a computer for hours while in the School of Computer Science.
2007 – 2008Founder & President, Japanese Cultural Society (JCS), HELP University College, MALAYSIAfounded one of the fastest-growing societies on campus, at the time, that also engaged with local Japanophile communities.
2006 – 2007Co-founder & Secretary, HELP Indoor Games Society (HIGS), HELP University College, MALAYSIAfounded a multi-disciplinary gaming society, to bring a social element to gamers on campus, which was recognised as the most active society by the college.
Voluntary, non-technical work.

I’m an active blogger, and social media influencer.

weareMOVICModern Visual Culture.com