J Matthews has left the building. RIP.

Around the same time I stepped onto the stage at the Eastin Hotel for the opening of APPIES Malaysia 2024, my dear friend and industry partner J Matthews passed away peacefully at home.

The news of his passing reverberated throughout the region, as his story was all about serving the advertising industry and beyond.

His impact on the advertising sector will be remembered fondly by all who had the privilege of working alongside him. Matthews, a former Methodist Boys School (MBS) Sentul alumni completed his studies in Law and began his career at Goonting and Chew, an accounting and secretarial firm in the mid-1980s.

In 1992, driven by his passion for fostering the growth of associations, he established Macomm Management Services Sdn Bhd with the aim of providing management services to national trade associations in the advertising, marketing and media industries.

Macomm Management Services became the de facto industry associations’ secretariat and as CEO, Matthews’ leadership and strategic vision propelled them forward. His time was marked by a real commitment to elevating standards within the industry.

Macomm was involved in running the 4As, ABC, MAA, MSA, MDA, CRM, MNPA, AFAA, IFABC, OAAM, CMCF and ASA.

In 2009, the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) presented Matthews its inaugural Award of Merit in recognition of him having served with great distinction. Macomm Management Services is the AFAA (founded in 1978) Secretariat and has representation in 16 Asian nations.

Matthews retired on March 2018 and went to live in Port Dickson with his wife Adna and would regularly visit their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren in Australia and later Italy, where he enjoyed the long Italian lunches or “il pranzo”.

In any Association meeting, Matt would be the last one to speak.

On that note, I will leave the final word to him….