AKQA Shanghai promotes Jon Ip to MD role

AKQA has announced the appointment of Jon Ip as Managing Director for AKQA Shanghai. Ip’s promotion is part of a management transition strategy, putting creative thinking at the centre of the studio’s innovation, experience and solution design capabilities.

The move comes after three successful years of Samantha Sterling’s leadership, who has taken on the role of Chief Strategy Officer for AKQA across Asia Pacific. This move is designed to give Sam even greater reach and influence across the region.

The Hong Kong born, New York raised and Shanghai-shaped Ip, has more than 20 years of industry experience and has been with AKQA since 2019.

Jon Ip said: “I’m incredibly honored by the trust that AKQA put in me, by giving me the extraordinary opportunity to lead AKQA in China at such a momentous time.”

Ip’s personal mantra is ‘Why not?’, with this mindset he aims to incite an open and diverse culture with creativity fueled innovation at its core. He continuously encourages his team to keep learning growing, and pushes them to drive their clients business to the next level.

Ip says: “China moves at an incredible pace, and has been spectacular to first-hand both witness and contribute to its change in the past decade. Brands that want to succeed in this market have to move and think fast. My goal for the Shanghai studio is to continue to be our client’s go-to partner, to co-create innovative solutions that solve for tomorrow’s challenges, whatever they may be.“

Brain Vella, Managing Partner for Asia Pacific, said: “The combination of Jon’s creative background, local experience, and genuine passion to create the future faster made him a unique choice. One which we believe is in keeping with our ethos to challenge the status quo. We’re tremendously excited to see what he and the team create in the next chapter for the esteemed studio.”

This appointment comes at an exciting time for AKQA Shanghai, on the back of several new business wins such as Lego, a number of L’oréal brands and Block1, in addition to the extension of their Online-to-Offline spatial design offering in the region, in partnership with Universal Design Studio (part of The AKQA Group).

The appointment is effective immediately with Ip reporting directly to Brian Vella.

Vella adds: “Leaving his ECD post, no person is better placed to appoint their successor than Jon. With our shared ambition this is a process we’re excited about working together on, and is a process already underway.”