Leo Burnett Shanghai hires Haidong Guan as chief strategy officer leading the planning team

Leo Burnett has appointed Haidong Guan as Chief Strategy Officer of Leo Burnett Shanghai. Guan (pictured) will lead the planning team to build up more insight-driven integrated creative solutions for client’s brands, via the famous Leo Burnett “HumanKind” creative approach.

Angie Wong, the Managing Director of Leo Burnett Shanghai said, “Strategy has been the secret weapon behind many great ideas. The HumanKind strategic approach is also one of our core strengths. As our business grows, we need a strategic catalyst that is taking us to a higher level.

“Haidong is an expert in consumer research and strategic analysis. He believes that great ideas and effective communications originate from a unique insight into the target audience. I believe he will drive our HumanKind philosophy to be acknowledged by more people in and out of Leo Burnett.”

Prior to joining Leo Burnett, Guan worked at several leading international agencies including Grey, McCann, BBH and JWT. He has also been invited to be a special consultant for WPP China and lectures on advertising planning. Over the past seventeen years, Guan has worked on a broad range of brand categories, building up many successful campaigns for clients.

He has a very clear view of Leo Burnett, “I have always been very fond of the Leo Burnett brand,” he said. “To people working in this industry, the history and culture of Leo Burnett are well known and highly regarded. As a result, Leo Burnett Shanghai has attracted a young, energetic and ambitious management team, who believe that strategy and innovation are fundamental to creating effective communications. So naturally, I’m thrilled to join the team.”

Guan will be a member of the newly-formed Leo Burnett Shanghai management committee, which also includes Angie Wong, Executive Creative Directors Takho Lau and Rocky Hao, and Human Resources and Culture Director Amy Wu. With their close collaboration as a team, they are expecting to drive the further growth of Leo Burnett Shanghai office together.

According Wong, the new management committee will work on three major areas: First, the team will further flatten Leo Burnett Shanghai’s organizational structure, simplify the working process, and strengthen the collaboration between departments to ensure a swift response to market and client needs.

The agency will further implement the “HumanKind” creative philosophy into the process of building up purposeful brands with clients, by planning every project from an integrated marketing angle and consistently looking for innovative content, ideas and channels.

In addition, the management committee will continue to foster and cultivate Leo Burnett’s culture and brand image to further engage with all the Star Reachers in the company, strengthen their sense of belonging, and raise Leo Burnett’s reputation and influence to an even higher level in China.