Hill+Knowlton Strategies Japan appoints Mark Leong as director of integrated marketing

Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K) brings on senior strategist, Mark Leong, to lead the charge as Director of Integrated Marketing for Japan.

With more than 10 years of experience racked up in ATL, branding, and digital agencies, Leong (pictured) brings expertise across multiple disciplines as well as various sectors, including FMCG, tech, finance, healthcare, and fashion.

Born in Malaysia, Leong’s love of design and architecture brought him to Tokyo originally, where he has lived on and off for 16 years. Several years of experience were notched up in London in-between, where he cut his teeth on blue chip clients such as MARS and Nestle at branding agency, Brandhouse.

Leong returned to Tokyo in 2010, joining DDB as a hybrid account manager / strategist to look after key clients HP, McDonald’s, Reebok, and Pfizer, as well as new business development and co-managing a team of strategists, digital planners, UX, UI, and data analysts.

Most recently with BBDO, Leong was responsible for rewiring the agency culture, resulting in numerous big-ticket account wins and industry accolades with AMES (now TANGRAMS) and APPIES award wins.

In his new role at H+K – Leong’s first at a PR agency – he will be responsible for working across the full business portfolio to develop innovative strategies for consumer brand clients such as Nikon and, Expedia, as well as b2b clients including Rio Tinto. Mark will also play a leading role to drive overall business development and growth.

John Morgan, H+K Asia President and H+K Japan CEO, comments, “We are absolutely thrilled to have Mark join the team in Tokyo. 2016 was a phenomenal year for us winning PR Week Agency of the Year, so now it’s about continuing to build on that success. Mark adds a new dimension to the team that reinforces our ongoing evolution to support our clients’ needs and go beyond traditional PR, and forward into the 360 integrated communications space.”

Leong said, “”Passion and Curiosity” is my life motto and has got me where I am today, both on a personal and professional level. In business, this philosophy constantly drives me to not accept the status quo or a ‘norm’. It pushes me to interrogate a client’s brief (and our response) from all angles, and to keep striving for innovative solutions to solve my clients’ business challenges. H+K has amazing clients so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and deepening our relationship with these companies as well as driving H+K’s growth with our clients of the future.”

Morgan added, “Our integrated marketing division has already enjoyed an excellent run since Mark joined and we’ll soon be announcing new wins in sports marketing, hospitality and even power drills! As the Japan media landscape continues to evolve, and as clients realize there are more creative and nimble options than the behemoth domestic agencies, we’re seeing a steady stream of frustrated clients coming to H+K in Japan looking for a change. I’m thrilled Mark has joined us at such an exciting time.”