Tom Kao, CEO Asia of The Gate Worldwide, confirmed that Tsai departed about a week ago and said the agency is now looking for a replacement.
Antonius Chen who was supposed to come on board as creative partner with Tsai, initially deferred his start date to late November but did not join the company at all in the end, Kao said.
Contacted a few weeks ago about rumours she was leaving, Tsai told Campaign Asia-Pacific that “if I am leaving [The Gate], Antonius will also leave with me.”
At the time of her hiring, Tsai told Campaign Asia-Pacific that she chose The Gate over several other offers from 4A agencies. "Although it may be more hard work in a new agency brand, there would be more new possibilities with The Gate, especially with its business model shifting to more digital communications," she said.
Tsai also said at the time that the agency had a large global confectionary client that she could not disclose, as a contract was not yet complete. Tsai today declined to comment on whether that client had ever signed on with The Gate.