Humans of Orchan | Farrell Tan ("The Other Boss")
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| "The Other Boss", but you better call him Farrell |
So apparently it’s my turn to share a bit about myself. Around the office, I’m often referred to as “the other boss.” And compared to the rest of the team, I’m definitely the more marcom person; having cut my teeth in international agencies, mentored by some of the best in the business. Truth be told, I never pictured myself in this line of work. Never in a million years did I imagine co-owning an agency with a Kiwi (not the fruit, though some would argue otherwise!) - working with brands I admire and, in many cases, grew up with. Life’s funny that way.
I grew up in a fairly utilitarian household in Melaka. My dad was a teacher, my mum a nurse, and like all good government servants, they preached the importance of education: tuition, extra-curriculars, the works. Luckily for us, there wasn’t much to distract us in small-town Melaka back then, other than tree-climbing, neighbourhood bike rides, the occasional movie that arrived six months late at the only cinema in town, and, well… church (that’s another story). Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to finish school and trade small-town predictability for the big city.
The minute I stepped foot in Kuala Lumpur, I knew I’d carve out a place for myself - I just didn’t know where. Ever the pragmatist, I chose to study business for the sheer flexibility it gave me. At one point I thought I’d make a decent lawyer, but life had other plans. Straight out of college, I landed an internship at a local agency where I discovered how communication underpins everything. The pace, the energy, the creativity of the people around me... I was hooked from day one.
Fast forward a few years and I’d built a career across international agencies, working with smart colleagues and clients on brands that mattered. I evolved from ad exec to PR practitioner (with a bit of event management sprinkled in), learning what it meant to build, challenge, and protect reputations. When the opportunity to co-found Orchan came, I hesitated - who wouldn’t? I was doing well, but something about being my own boss, doing things on our terms, was too important to ignore. I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t take the leap.
Now, five and a half years in, I know I made the right call. I get to do what I love with people who constantly push me to think bigger and do better. If there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s that unpredictability is the only guarantee. Plans rarely go the way you expect, and even when they do, you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop. That’s why Orchan’s proposition of Orchestrating Change feels so natural - because change isn’t just inevitable, it’s the only constant (well, that and death and taxes).
As agents of change, our job is to help clients see communication from fresh perspectives. The industry shifts so fast that standing still is simply not an option. Brands that don’t evolve get left behind, and just when you think you’ve cracked it... surprise, the game changes again. Our role is to keep evolving too: reading, learning, travelling, and soaking in experiences that keep our counsel sharp and relevant.
Now, as I approach the big 4-0 (still can’t believe I’m saying that), I honestly feel like I’m exactly where I want to be. The future? Who knows. But I do know this: whatever it brings, I’ll meet it head-on with a pocketful of experiences and stories to guide me. Because I’ve always believed life doesn’t get better by chance - it only gets better by change.
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