GLOBAL — Today, BBDO Worldwide President and CEO Andrew Robertson announced huge changes in the regional management starting off with Chris Thomas, CEO of BBDO Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
After 9 years of service in Asia, Thomas’ says that it is now time for a new chapter in his BBDO story. This time around, it is going to be in New York where he will be the head of BBDO, The Americas. He will be responsible for 21 BBDO agencies in the United States, Canada and Latin America.
“It has been a privilege living and working in the Asia region for the last nine years. We have grown our reputation and our clients business through our work,” said Thomas.
Thomas has been with BBDO for 25 long years. And Robertson have nothing but high regard for the new CEO of The Americas, “Chris established our offering in west and east Africa and has provided Proximity Worldwide with the leadership and glue it needs. He is truly a global citizen who will have a valuable impact on his new time zone when he moves to New York in May.”
However, Thomas will not completely be saying good bye to Asia as he stays on as Chairman of I&S BBDO Japan and Chairman of Proximity Worldwide.
Replacing Thomas as CEO of BBDO Asia is BBDO Singapore CEO and recently the President of Southeast Asia, Jean-Paul Burge.
Robertson is confident that Burge is more than equipped to take on the job, “JP has been with BBDO for more than a decade, and has spent nine years working directly for Chris. He knows what it takes to succeed in the region.”
Chairman and CEO of BBDO Middle East Dani Richa, on the other hand, will add the rest of Africa to his responsibilities.
“Under Dani’s leadership, BBDO MENA is coming off its best year ever, against every possible metric, with Impact BBDO having been ranked the #1 agency in the region across all marketing communications in the Directory Big Won and BBDO named Network of the Year at the Cristal Awards Festival – the first time in its history,” said Robertson.
A lot of movement is also taking place in BBDO Greater China as CEO Carol Potter decides to move on to a new role that would bring her closer to her family which according to Robertson, “Sadly, it is not with BBDO. We always knew this day would come. Carol has built an incredible agency group over the past nine years – from 70 people to more than 500, from an agency that we had to make excuses for to one which makes our competitors envious and our clients proud.”
In an interview with adobo magazine, Thomas shares that Potter was one of the very first leaders he has worked with in BBDO Asia. He is sad to see her go but he also says that this move that Potter is making is going to be a fantastic opportunity for her.
Members of the current Greater China management team will be taking the place of Potter. Management Director Tze Kiat Tan becomes the new CEO, Wai Foo Leong becomes Chairman and Chief Creative Officer and Hans Lopez-Vito takes on the new role as Chief Strategy Officer.
“These changes demonstrate the benefits of our commitment to strong succession planning and will further strengthen the leadership team that will help me deliver our goal of the world’s best work, year after year, and through that, growth for the next five years…and through that, growth for the next five years…and beyond,” said Robertson.
