Richard Tan appointed as chief executive officer for newly restructured MullenLowe Group China
MullenLowe Group has restructured its operations in China to create MullenLowe Group China. The hyperbundled agency will integrate the MullenLowe China creative communications business with MullenLowe Profero’s digital expertise.
The launch of MullenLowe Group China is the latest step in the building out of MullenLowe Group’s hyperbundled model in key markets, and follows on from the integration of operations and new leadership in New York and London over the last 12 months.
The new hyperbundled agency will be led by Richard Tan, CEO, MullenLowe Group China; now a 230-person organisation across 3 offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu. Tan brings 19 years of leadership experience in the Chinese market to the business, having previously been CEO and President, DDB China Group. Tan will report to Vincent Digonnet, CEO MullenLowe Group, North Asia, and CEO MullenLowe Profero, APAC.
“MullenLowe Group offers clients world-class capabilities across the full communications spectrum and the entire consumer journey,” said Digonnet. “China is the most digitally developed market in the world, with Alibaba and Tencent spearheading rapid transformation of the whole business ecosystem. It is crucial in that environment to consolidate and strengthen our offering to lead business transformation. Our clients understand the enormous value in bringing together creativity based on consumer insights, innovative media, technology, design, social, CRM and analytics – combined in a seamless model that builds brands while offering efficiency and clarity of purpose. Richard has the experience, the drive and a deep understanding of what makes China unique to lead that transformation, and I am delighted to see him join our team at MullenLowe Group China for this exciting new journey.”
Tan said, “MullenLowe Group exists in essence to give our clients an unfair share of attention. Having spent two decades in this market, I understand that China requires a totally nuanced approach, so the consolidation of our China operations is about accelerating the growth of a business which is able to deliver both world-class creativity and transformative solutions for our clients.”
Fanny Yum will continue as CEO MullenLowe China, and MullenLowe Profero will remain under the joint leadership of Brian Leong, MD Shanghai and Alessandro Grena, MD Beijing. The new China group is strengthening its strategic offering, bringing on three new integrated planning directors, whose names will be announced in the weeks to come. Chief Planning Officer, Baiping Shen, however will be leaving the agency after 9 highly successful years at MullenLowe China. Cheelip Ong, who joined MullenLowe at the end of 2016 remains as Chief Creative Officer.
Photo caption: Front L-R/ Richard Tan, Vincent Digonnet. Back L-R/ Brian Leong, Fanny Yum, Alessandro Grena, Cheelip Ong.