BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Moonfolks, one of Southeast Asia’s leading independent advertising agencies, has set up operations in Bandar Seri Begawan, becoming one of the first international agencies to establish a presence in Brunei.
The agency chose to launch on February 23, in conjunction with Brunei’s National Day, marking the nation’s 42nd year of independence in 2026.
Moonfolks Brunei will be led by Sheikh Idham Abas, who joins as managing partner for Brunei.
Commenting on the launch, Anish Daryani, founder and CEO of Moonfolks, said: “We are thrilled to begin our regional expansion with Brunei. It’s a country of ambitious brands that have been denied strong brand thinking for the longest time. We believe we can offer strategic direction and creative solutions of international standards to brands in Brunei, who are extremely deserving of it.”
Sheikh Idham Abas, managing partner of Moonfolks Brunei, added: “Brands in Brunei have truly come of age, and with Moonfolks, they can have brand solutions of the highest class made available to them. I have always been associated with the creative industry, and I’m glad that with Moonfolks, I can play an active role in uplifting the creative standards in the country.”
Daryani added that “expansion across more Southeast Asian markets is on the cards.”
Moonfolks will offer its “accelerated growth” model to clients in Brunei, combining branding and advertising; social and digital; influencer marketing and PR; as well as shopper and brand activations to drive consumers to commerce.
Moonfolks was born out of Daryani’s acquisition of M&C Saatchi Indonesia in January 2024. Among its clients are TikTok, PermataBank, AIA Insurance, Unilever, Puma, and Mastercard.