Publicis appoints its Nestle account lead as CEO in Beijing

Duffy, with 25 years of experience in leading integrated communications teams, will continue to lead the Publicis APAC partnership with Nestle while driving growth in the Beijing office.

The agency is transforming its Beijing unit into a "more fully integrated hub", which means implementing new digital platforms, introducing high-performance team management strategy and creative development, Duffy said.

Duffy worked on Procter & Gamble at Saatchi & Saatchi from 1993 to 1996, and later at FCB for the next seven years led an international team on the repositioning of beer brand Coors.

He later joined DDB Paris in 2007, where he set up a communications hub for the global Lipton Tea business and the Johnson & Johnson's beauty care portfolio. In 2011 at Lowe and Partners he was later appointed global business director on Unilever’s largest brand, Knorr.

He joined Publicis in April 2014 to service Nestle's Nescafe brand. In his internal move to Beijing last month, Duffy takes over from ex-CEO Sansoni AuYeung, who has announced his plans to leave the advertising business.