First Impressions & Live Roles - W/E 14th September

Hello and welcome back to MCG Talent - Asia’s weekly Newsletter. 

Each week we bring to you our priority roles, latest updates and insights into what we’re seeing in the market at the moment. 

Live roles, market insights + a reminder for those that missed it last week - we’re now on Whatsapp!

Table of Contents

• New Launch (Whatsapp!)

• First Impressions (Market Insights)

• Priority Roles - W/E 14th September - Asia

• FAQ - How's the Market Looking?

For any new readers, you can check out our previous editions here.

• The Cover Letter is dead. Replace it with this.

• Do this and let jobs come to you.

• Why you should go all in on LinkedIn.

• Nail your next interview with these 5 tips.

• Make sure these three things are not on your CV.

Quick One - Last week we launched our MCG Talent - Asia, Whatsapp Channel where we plan to share our latest roles as they come in.

Response has been positive so far and if you would like to be a part, you can join us here!

I’m back in Singapore this week and I have a quick confession to make.

When I first visited, I judged it way too fast.

I came a time when I knew I wanted to leave the Middle East and SG - at first glance - reminded me a lot of what I was trying to escape in Dubai.

I’d fallen in love with the craziness of 🇭🇰 and by comparison 🇸🇬 felt a bit small, a bit too shiny, a bit… predictable.

But that was only the surface.

In times I’ve been back since I’ve seen the city open up.

↳ From a business POV: it’s phenomenal.

Hyper-professional. Efficient. International.

The standard of talent here is ridiculously high and we’ve been very lucky to partner with an incredible mix of businesses over the past six months.

↳ As a place to visit: pretty unbelievable.

- A leading global financial centre
- Iconic hotels and architecture
- Stunning greenery

All crammed onto one tiny little island that takes 40 minutes to drive from one end to the other.

I know HK and SG have a little online rivalry but being able to split time between the two is a privilege.

I thought I “got” Singapore after a week. Nope.

What a place and how overrated are first impressions lol?

In the meantime, here’s our priority roles for the week 😎

Priority Roles - W/E 14th September - Asia. 

↳ Associate Creative Director - Creative Agency - Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪

Our client, a leading creative agency based in Dubai, is seeking an Associate Creative Director (ACD) with a strong background in art-based creative projects to lead innovative campaigns tailored to the UAE market.

Candidates must have a proven track record in art direction within a creative agency, exceptional creative leadership skills, and a deep understanding of the UAE’s cultural and luxury market trends. Recent experience delivering visually stunning, culturally relevant campaigns is vital and we will need to see evidence of this in portfolios.

Fluency in Arabic and English is mandatory. Updated portfolios are required upon submission. For more information, please contact Tom Southgate.

↳ Growth Lead - Crypto/FS - Hong Kong/Singapore Based (Fully Remote) 🇭🇰🇸🇬

A fast-growing cryptocurrency and blockchain company is seeking a Growth Lead to drive client acquisition and business expansion across Hong Kong and Singapore, in a fully remote capacity.

Candidates must have a proven track record in securing high-value clients in the cryptocurrency or blockchain sector, exceptional networking skills, and a deep understanding of the APAC fintech ecosystem and regulatory landscape. Recent experience in closing deals within the Web3 space is required and applicants should be able to demonstrate clear examples of this.

Fluency in English is mandatory, with Mandarin/Cantonese as an advantage. For more information, please contact Harry Lee.

↳ Senior Software Engineer (Java) - Financial Services - Singapore 🇸🇬

Our client, a leading financial services firm based in Singapore, is seeking a Software Engineer with expertise in Java to develop and maintain high-performance financial applications.

Candidates must have a proven track record in Java development within financial services, exceptional problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of Singapore’s financial ecosystem (web3 experience a plus) and regulatory requirements. Requires an individual with experience delivering scalable and secure applications in recent roles.

Fluency in English and Mandarin is mandatory. Must have a valid RTW in Singapore - we are unable to sponsor for this position. For more information, please contact Charlie Bowsher.

↳ Event Manager - Gaming Sector - Hong Kong 🇭🇰

A leading gaming company based in Hong Kong is seeking an Event Manager to plan and execute high-profile gaming events and community activations.

Candidates must have a proven track record in managing gaming or entertainment events, exceptional organizational skills, and a deep understanding of Hong Kong’s gaming market and consumer trends. Recent experience delivering engaging, large-scale gaming events is essential.

Fluency in English is mandatory, with Cantonese and/or Mandarin as an advantage. For more information, please contact Harry Lee.

If you have friends or colleagues who might match the criteria of the above - please share this email so they can reach out and apply.

FAQ - How’s the Market Looking? - September 2025

Our most frequently asked question. It’s hard to be specific as we work across multiple markets and verticals but the general gist is that we remain in a client-driven market.

Put simply: Supply (applicants looking) outweighs demand (jobs available).

This tighter market is reflected in the downward results of the large Recruitment PLCs and something we anticipate to carry over into 2026.

Our advice is to stay consistent, build an online presence and go off-LinkedIn as much as possible when applying for new positions.

We’ve previously written about the importance of staying visible, patience and breaking through in crowded markets.

Made it this far? Thanks for reading! Make sure to drop me a Connect on LinkedIn for more live roles and day to day across both the Middle East and Asia!