SHANGHAI – Havas announces the appointment of industry heavyweight Donald Chan as Chief Executive Officer of its creative agency brand Havas Creative Group China.
He joins the agency from Leo Burnett China, where he was the Chief Executive Officer. His previous stint also includes running JWT China as the Chief Executive Officer.
In his new role, Chan will spearhead Havas’ creative offering, which has a strong presence in the market with a special focus on Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. Besides leading the China creative operations, he will be focusing on acquiring talent, growing existing clients and driving new business. In addition to managing Havas Worldwide, he will also be responsible for leading key agency brands including Field Force China, Havas Life Healthcare, Havas Worldwide Digital, and Arnold Worldwide.
Chan is a seasoned advertising professional with over 20 years of brand building and integrated marketing communications experience. In the course of his career, Donald has worked with various brands across a wide range of industries including Pfizer, McDonald’s, Coca Cola, General Motors, China Mobile, HSBC, Unilever, P&G, Diageo, Pernod-Ricard, Galaxy Entertainment Group, and Hilton Hotel Group.
Donald will report directly to Mason Lin, Chairman of Havas Creative Group, Greater China. The appointment will be effective March 28, 2016.
“Donald is a critical hire for Havas Creative Group China,” said Lin. “He is an experienced leader with a track record of leading large agencies and a constant advocate of digital evolution in the industry. We are thrilled that he will be leading the transformation of Havas into a fully integrated agency with digital at its core as we continue to drive our growth across China.”
On his appointment, Donald commented, “I am delighted to join Havas. The group not only has a unique integrated offering supported by a wealth of resources through its global network; it also has in place a structure that can deliver truly innovative solutions demanded by today’s clients. I look forward to working with the team and further grow the agency’s presence in China.”
