Alex Runne joins Ogilvy & Mather China as its first chief strategy officer based in Shanghai

In line with the recent global appointment of Ben Richards as Worldwide Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Ogilvy & Mather China has appointed Alex Runne as its first CSO to drive transformation for the group and its clients. In this new role Runne will focus on uniting Ogilvy Group’s strategic offerings to create innovative and holistic client solutions. Based in Shanghai, where he will focus his initial work, Runne (pictured) will also continue to develop the overall strategic and digital offerings of O&M Group.

“I’m very excited to have Alex join us as we marshal changes in our own agenda,” said Debby Cheung, President of Ogilvy & Mather Shanghai. “He has a fantastic background that encompasses traditional brand planning, brand innovation and strategy experience. This will allow him to further develop our strategic offering and become deeply involved in driving transformation and innovation for some of our largest clients.”

Runne has spent the past five years in China and Singapore, most recently as the Asia Business Leader, Director of !Whatif? Innovation Partners. With an eye towards commercially sustainable growth and integrated innovation in emerging economies, he has led his Shanghai and Singapore based teams through a variety of projects for a diverse set of clients. Under his leadership, his team created the Hualuxe brand and guest experience for the InterContinental Hotels Group, new insights for Kraft (now Mondelez) and worked with Pernod Ricard to produce new product portfolios to better engage fresh audiences in China.

“Alex has a clear vision of how to effect positive, original change for businesses with a lot of moving parts,” said Mickey Chak, Chief Planning Officer of Ogilvy & Mather China. “He is one of the very few that can talk business in a board room and translate business problems into creative, innovative solutions.

“Our client’s business – and therefore our own – is more complicated than ever before,” said Runne. “It’s my goal to help Ogilvy & Mather link and optimize their many services; not by limiting specialization, but by gaining from the depth those options can offer.”