40 Under 40 2024: Adrian Tso, DDB Group

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Adrian Tso

Chief strategy officer
DDB Group
Hong Kong

Adrian Tso has had a remarkable career since joining DDB Hong Kong in 2015. His impact is evident in his meteoric rise through the ranks, with five promotions in seven years starting in 2017, from senior planner to associate strategy director, strategy director, group strategy director, head of strategy and most recently, chief strategy officer.

Born and bred in Hong Kong, Tso later moved to the US to attend boarding school and university, and was a senior brand strategist at The Brand Union and brandmaster for Nanoleaf before joining DDB. 

During his tenure thus far, Tso has influentially built strategic products and improved the quality of the team, solidifying the agency’s position as Hong Kong’s ‘most effective agency’. His high-performing strategy team has contributed to the agency’s most successful period in recent history, generating impressive and notable client retention and growth, as well as over 15 industry awards in 2023—including global recognition by WARC, the New York Festival, and Spikes Asia.

Over the years, Tso has leveraged his expertise to enhance the agency’s branding capabilities, introducing new services such as brand strategy and design. These additions have attracted new clients and expanded the scope of work with existing ones, demonstrating commercial value and reinforcing the agency’s ‘full-service’ positioning.

Tso fosters an environment of autonomy for his team, maintaining an open-door policy for advice and guidance and dedicating time for team-bonding and experience-sharing. He transformed regular ‘Monday status catchups’ into offsite breakfasts, enabling the team to discuss ongoing projects in a real-world setting. Additionally, he introduced monthly half-day offsite sessions to encourage collaboration on projects.

He also plays a supportive role in career guidance, increasing the agency's bi-annual reviews to quarterly reviews. As a result, the team achieved 100% staff retention in the past two years. Tso also transformed the previously all-male strategy department into a more balanced one, achieving 50% female representation. He has made it a priority to create a more diverse setting by including individuals from various backgrounds and with different experiences.

Tso has also been running an internship programme since he began leading the strategy team. He ensures every intern is regarded as a staff member—embraced and honoured as a valued part of the agency’s culture. As a member of the agency management team, he not only sits on the inclusion council, but also regularly organises training on unconscious bias and how to model inclusive behaviour for all. 

Tso has been a panelist and speaker at industry events including the APAC Effies and is an AdStar jury member. Additionally, he’s a thought-leadership author, frequent guest lecturer at Hong Kong universities, a mentor for young executives or students, and a gaming industry advisor. Outside the industry, his interests are eclectic and diverse, spanning mixed martial arts, cryptocurrencies, gaming, and behavioural economics. 

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