Brand Builder · Editor · Co-Founder · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Lina Esa
Visionary brand builder, marketer, and editorial leader with 15+ years transforming publishing, the creative industry, and the creator economy.
Speciality
Brand Strategy & Growth
Experience
15+ Years · Media, Publishing & Tech
Currently
Co-Founder, Cult Creative
Who I Am
Strategy meets storytelling.
I’m a brand builder, marketer, and editorial leader with 15 years at the intersection of culture, creativity, and commerce. I’ve shaped some of Malaysia’s most recognisable media brands — and built a tech platform for the creator economy from the ground up.
My career has two distinct acts. First, a decade in editorial — modernising CLEO Malaysia, launching CLEO TV, and securing global brand partnerships on a bootstrapped budget. Then, a pivot into tech — co-founding Cult Creative, driving a full strategic pivot, and scaling it into a profitable creator marketing platform across Southeast Asia.
I thrive where editorial instinct meets growth strategy — where the brand is beautiful, the numbers move, and the work means something.
Areas of Expertise
May 2020 — Present
Co-Founder & CMO
Cult Creative
Co-founded Southeast Asia’s creator marketing platform — now operating across Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.
Led the strategic pivot from a loss-making freelancer network to a profit-making platform, growing revenue from RM5k to RM200k within a single quarter. Built the entire marketing engine — content, CRM, B2B funnels, and RevOps — from scratch, with a 20k organic audience and 15K+ user database, zero paid advertising.
Delivered a 400% increase in qualified leads, RM10.5k Average Order Value, and 797% return on ad spend.
Apr 2016 — Apr 2020
Editor
CLEO Malaysia
Led editorial, print, events, and marketing for Malaysia’s leading lifestyle magazine — overseeing a full rebrand for a new generation of readers.
Launched CLEO TV, an industry-first magazine YouTube talk show on a bootstrapped budget, securing Benefit, Dior, Triumph, and Samsung as sponsors. Secured global brand cover partnerships driving both commercial growth and cultural prestige.
Get In Touch
Let’s build something.
Whether you’re looking for a strategic marketing leader, a brand co-builder, or a creative director who understands the numbers — I’d love to hear from you.
lina esa 