Akimasa Baba promoted to CEO at Beijing Dentsu

Dentsu Aegis Network has announced that Akimasa Baba will take on the role of CEO Beijing Dentsu. Baba will use wide ranging expertise and experience from his time at Dentsu Inc. and Dentsu Aegis Network to develop and grow Beijing Dentsu in China effective 1 June 2016.

Baba (pictured left) has almost 30 years’ experience working in Japan and in roles around the world. After joining Dentsu Inc. in 1987, he successively worked in departments such as the Strategic Planning Division and Dentsu Institute. In May 2003 he was appointed as CEO of newly established agency Dentsu media Thailand, which he developed into one of the largest agencies in the market. He was seconded to the UK in 2013 as the Representative Officer of Dentsu in the London office, to work on the post-merger integration of Dentsu Aegis Network. He is concurrently Global President of Dentsu media and Managing Director of the Global Business Center of Dentsu Inc.

Yukiyasu Nagasaki, current President of Beijing Dentsu, will move back to Tokyo in June after playing an important role in the development of the business over the past three years. Dentsu Aegis Network will announce a replacement for the Global President of Dentsu media is due course.

Commenting on the promotion, Takaki Hibino CEO Dentsu Branded Agencies and Dentsu media Asia Pacific said, “The success of Beijing Dentsu is a key part of the acceleration of our business and is a major driver of growth for us. This move will be a new challenge for Akimasa Baba, one that he has both the experience and leadership skills for after many years driving different businesses around the world. I look forward to seeing how he’ll develop the agency for the group in China, and as a key member of the Dentsu leadership team in Asia Pacific.”

Motohiro Yamagishi CEO Dentsu Aegis Network China commented, “Beijing Dentsu has been in China for more than 20 years. It has strong integrated communication credentials, an impressive list of local and global clients and is an extremely important part of Dentsu Aegis Network’s offering. Akimasa Baba has been an outstanding performer for many years so is an easy choice for this significant role within our business. I welcome him to the Dentsu Aegis Network leadership team and look forward to achieving great things with him in the coming years.”

Baba said, “This is a significant milestone in my career, and one I am thoroughly looking forward to. I will be looking to support the incredible talent we have in the Beijing Dentsu business and help each of our employees create, innovate and drive substantial growth for our clients’ businesses. I look forward to working with the leadership team at Dentsu Aegis Network China to hit our ambitious targets for the agency.”