Donald Chan leaves JWT to return to Leo Burnett China as Group Chief Executive with a brief to drive growth and foster creative excellence

Leo Burnett Greater China has named Donald Chan its Group Chief Executive Officer for China.

As Group Chief Executive Officer for China, Chan will be responsible for business development and overseeing creative output in the most important region for global growth. He began his career with Leo Burnett Greater China in Hong Kong in 1995, rising to become National Managing Director for China, based in Shanghai. In 2006, Chan was one of the Chinese Advertising Association’s Advertising People of the Year.

In 2007, Chan joined Nasdaq-listed Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. as Senior Vice-President overseeing the company’s in-game advertising business. He returns to Leo Burnett from the WPP Group subsidiary J. Walter Thompson. He has led their China operation since June 2010.

Chan said: “It’s great to come home after a couple of years outside the Leo Burnett network. It has been enlightening and rewarding, but this is where I started my career. This is about coming home. It’s the right time to come back to Leo Burnett. I’m glad I’ll again have the chance to work with the agency’s great talent and my friends.”

“I have all the confidence that together, we will continue to build the most innovative agency group in China.”

Leo Burnett Greater China Regional Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eddie Booth said: “Donald came through Leo Burnett as one of the agency’s rising stars. He enjoyed staggering success and phenomenal growth when he led Leo Burnett Shanghai just a few years ago. Leo Burnett has an ambition to be the best in China. We want to go beyond our extremely high creative standards, nurture the finest new talent, and develop our people to be the best. Donald is an industry leader who can make that happen.”

A primary focus for Mr Chan will be developing new business for the agency’s network in mainland China, which includes service and creative hubs in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and 27 field marketing offices throughout the country’s interior. Chan will be based in Shanghai.