Management
TAN SRI JOHAN JAAFFAR - Chairman
Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar has wide experience in the media world. He was a journalist and editor, an award-winning creative writer, and a well-read columnist. He started his career as a researcher and later led the magazine division of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), the Language and Books Bureau, a statutory body under the Minister of Education.
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He was Chief Editor of the Utusan Melayu group from 1992 to 1998. He was also Chairman of Media Prima Berhad, the largest and only integrated media company in Malaysia (serving from April 2009 to August 2015).
Johan is currently Chairman of Nobel International School in Kuala Lumpur. He was formerly Chairman of DBP, which is also the country’s biggest publishing house.
He sat in the board of Multimedia Development Council (MDC) back in the 90s. He was a member of the Malaysian Business Council (MBC) and a member of a committee on Malaysia Incorporated (Malaysia Inc). He was on the board of public-listed Sindora Berhad, fully-owned by Johor Corporation.
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He was also a member of the National Brains Trust on National Education, set up by the National Economic Action Committee (NEAC). He was Head Jury for the Asia Pacific Film Festival in Kuala Lumpur in 2005. He was once Chairman of the Malaysian Arts Council and a member of the board of Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA), Malaysia’s foremost school of performing arts. He was a member of the nomination committee for the Education and Community category of the Merdeka Awards.
Johan was Chairman of the Consultation and Prevention Panel of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) until December 2015. He was also a member of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC). He served as a member of the political funding task force set up by the government. He is currently a member of the newly established Putrajaya Higher Education Task Force (PHETF). He is also on the board of Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN), a corporation under the Ministry of Higher Education responsible for granting study loans to students pursuing tertiary education.
He was a columnist for the New Straits Times from 2002 to 2015 and writes weekly for Berita Harian as well for seven years. Since April 2016, he writes fortnightly for The Star.
PAUL JAMES SAPWELL - CEO
Paul is the major shareholder of Sanctuary. Recruited by Mills & Allen PLC in England, the parent company of Pearl & Dean, Paul was posted to Malaysia as Regional Sales and Marketing Manager in 1984.
Successes included winning the significant Singapore Mass Rapid Transit and Changi Airport advertising concessions.
Paul was promoted to CEO of UPD Malaysia which grew to become Malaysia’s largest Outdoor Advertising company.
Ideas and innovations driven by Paul, increased revenues from RM1.5mil in 1987 to RM40mil in 1998.
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Paul used his experience for overseas expansion into India and Indonesia.
In 1998 Paul left UPD and set up Kurnia Outdoor, which rapidly grew to become the second largest billboard company in Malaysia, widely respected for quality and premium products. Kurnia was successful in key transit concessions and subsequently was sold to Media Prima Berhad in late 2009.
Paul’s skills are now focused on creating unique business in 3 areas: The #1 large format billboard company in KL, the #1 digital OOH company in KL and the #1 mass transit media operator in the Klang Valley with Sanctuary’s international partner, Plan B Media.
Paul and his family were awarded Malaysia Permanent Residency status in 1999.
RON GRAHAM - International Business Development
Ron Graham has more than 40 years’ experience in the Out Of Home advertising sector, starting in 1981 in the U.K., where he worked with the largest OOH media contractors. Ron was an active member on the joint industry committee for the development, launch and implementation of outdoor advertising measurement systems.
Ron worked in Asia Pacific for 11 years as regional director and general manager with the Pearl & Dean Group, spending time living and working in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and Thailand, while additionally working throughout the Asia, especially in China, Taiwan, Indonesia and Korea. (Pearl & Dean was acquired by JCDecaux in 1998).
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From 1998 to 2009, Ron managed Poster Publicity and later rebranded as Kinetic Worldwide, the world’s largest out of home media specialist agency. Ron held the position of Chief Operating Officer of Kinetic in Asia Pacific.
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In 2009, Ron set up Media On The Go, an independent consulting business, serving the out of home media industry. Media On The Go is active in a diverse range of roles, providing business solutions to the OOH media industry across Asia.
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Since 2014, Ron has been part of the management team at Plan B Media in Thailand and currently fills the role of international business development.
Ron has experience in both media owner and media buying sides of the business and can draw on vast knowledge to contribute at multiple levels in OOH media owner business. With focus on strategy, business development and best practice, from an independent and objective standpoint, Ron is currently assisting Plan B in their international expansion plans.
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ALEX JAMES SAPWELL - Sales & Marketing Manager
Alex became a permanent resident of Malaysia in 1999.
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Alex graduated from Kings School, Sydney in 2005 and then pursued a Bachelors of Commerce degree at RMIT University in Melbourne.
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Alex relocated back to Malaysia in 2011 to take up a key sales role in Sanctuary.
In July 2013 Alex was promoted to the position of Sales and Marketing Manager. He is responsible for all sales and marketing activities.
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As Sanctuary continues to grow, Alex is well placed to expand business with current clients and attract interest from new agencies and advertisers.
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LIONG TEEN SHEK - Sales & Marketing Manager (Digital)
Shek is the Digital Sales and Marketing Manager of Sanctuary Billboards. He has demonstrated achievement and experience in the OOH (Out of Home) media industry for the past 12 years, with a background in mass communication specialising in advertising at UTAR. He's also taken Dale Carnegie's Winning with Relationship Selling and The Essence of Leadership courses.
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Back then, Shek began his career as an account executive at Minds Creative & Advertising Studio. He followed in his footsteps and rose through the ranks to become a media business executive at People n' Rich - H, where he managed client accounts for media planning services. Years later, he was offered a position as a senior account executive at Sen Media. Followed by being offered career advancement in Hotpotato Publishing and Ambient Media as an account manager.
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VGI Transit then offered him the position of Get Keep Grow Manager, where he excelled as the team's top salesperson back in 2017. Currently Shek is now in Sanctuary Billboards, and responsible to oversee and create a new profile for the business's new DOOH assets.
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NICHOLAS IAN SAPWELL - Digital Production Manager
Nick Sapwell is the Digital Production Manager of Sanctuary, graduating from the University of New South Wales with a degree in Medical Microbiology and Immunology in 2014.
After completion of his studies, Nick followed his personal passions in film making.
Through this endeavour, he developed numerous skills, none more significant than content creation and video editing.
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Nick joined Sanctuary to handle digital and creative aspects of OOH advertising.
Despite only being with the company for little over a year, he has made significant contributions to work efficiency as well as client satisfaction through rapid delivery of goods and services.
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AKMAL BIN MOHAMED ARIF - Development Manager
Akmal has held senior board positions in commercial companies as well as active roles in local political agencies.
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Akmal is the principal liaison officer between Kuala Lumpur Football Association and Sanctuary Billboards. He deals with all Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur issues and matters pertaining to the Land Office.
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