FCB Makes Two New Executive Appointments
Pan joined FCB Shanghai as business director for Beiersdorf Greater China in 2013. In September 2014, she was promoted to general manager of FCB Shanghai and in October 2016, she was named the agency’s managing director, overseeing the office’s local and global business, including key clients NIVEA and Levi’s. In her new role as CEO, Pan will be one of a very small group of other female agency CEOs in the region.
“Since joining FCB in 2013, Josephine has proven herself as a strong and trusted leader whom clients, both local and global, have come to rely on. Her strong performance – combined with her experience working closely with Ed and our Greater China leadership over the last few years – made her the perfect candidate for this job,” said Murray.
Being promoted alongside Pan is Dennis Lam, FCB’s current managing director of South China. Based in Hong Kong, Lam will now add the role of FCB Chief Growth Officer for Greater China to his duties, a new position focused on growing the network’s client base across the region.
Both promotions are effective immediately and are part of a new management structure FCB has put into place ahead of the departure of current China CEO, Ed Bell, as he takes on a client-side job next month. Among his duties as CEO of FCB Greater China, Bell oversaw the agency’s Shanghai office, which Pan will now lead.
Both Pan and Lam have been working closely with Bell to ensure a smooth transition. As part of this new management structure, both will continue to partner – and work even more closely – with FCB Greater China’s management team, including Chief Strategy Officer Steve Xue and Chief Creative Officer Fei Wei, both at FCB Shanghai.
Said Pan: “I’m incredibly grateful to FCB for this exciting new opportunity. Thanks to mentors like Ed Bell and my terrific FCB family, I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to lead an agency, and I look forward to partnering with Dennis, Steve, Fei and our Greater China colleagues as we continue our mission of creating ‘Never Finished’ ideas and campaigns that drive our clients’ businesses.”
Lam, meanwhile, is known for his ability to help marketers expertly define – and redefine – their brand positioning in an ever-changing marketplace. Prior to joining FCB, he spent 11 years at JWT Hong Kong, where he rose to general manager and played a lead role in developing strategy for brands such as HSBC and Nikon.
“I’m thrilled to be working with some of the most terrific and talented colleagues in the industry as we continue to grow our partnerships with both existing and new clients in China, to write FCB’s next chapter here,” Lam said.
Bell, the outgoing CEO, will remain on board until mid-July. Since joining the agency in March 2014, he has been credited with helping FCB Greater China win new clients, including Prudential, Skechers, Skoda, Nubia and Weltmeister Motor, as well as leading the charge to build a strong management team across the region. On the creative front, he has led teams that have conceptualized effective and award-winning work, such as “Relationship Reconnect” for Prudential and “Oreo Vinyl” for Mondelēz.
“My time at FCB has been among the most fulfilling of my professional life. I’ve learned so much from my passionate team in China – and around the world – and am very proud to have been part of an agency that we call the ‘143-year-old start-up,’” Bell said.
Remarked Worldwide CEO Murray: “Ed is a terrific, accomplished and results-driven leader. From helping marketers like Mondelēz launch Oreo Thin, to leading our teams to create award-winning work for clients like Prudential, to opening our southern China office, he has helped raise our creative profile and footprint in Asia-Pacific. We are deeply grateful for his contributions and wish him the best of luck in his next adventure.”
Continued Murray: “Josephine and Dennis are both highly accomplished leaders. We congratulate them on their promotions, and we look forward to them continuing to fuel the momentum for FCB China. Stay tuned!”.
