Asia-Pacific Power List 2025: Jiunn Shih, Zespri International

Jiunn Shih

Chief marketing, innovation & sustainability officer
Zespri International
Singapore
New member  

Since April 2023, Jiunn Shih has been serving as chief marketing, innovation, and sustainability officer at Zespri International, the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit. As a member of the company’s executive leadership team, he plays a crucial role in shaping Zespri’s global strategy. His responsibilities cover a broader portfolio than most CMOs, involving not only global marketing, but also many other business aspects, including innovation and R&D, sustainability, corporate strategy, and enterprise portfolio management. 

Operating on a global scale, Zespri manages 30% of the world’s kiwifruit supply. Under Shih’s leadership, the brand has continued to perform strongly, with increasing global operating income and net profit.

Over the past year, Shih and his team have won major achievements for Zespri, delivering the highest brand health scores in key global markets, including China, Japan, and Europe. A key factor in its success was the launch of the company’s new global brand platform, ‘Taste the Obsession,’ which drove double-digit gains in brand distinctiveness and consumer consideration.

Under his stewardship, Zespri has implemented an innovative new roadmap focused on next-generation varietals and value-added formats. By adopting agile testing and consumer co-design, the company reduced time-to-market for new products by 30%, significantly boosting its responsiveness to evolving consumer needs.

Because of Shih’s efforts, sustainability emerged as a core pillar of Zespri’s growth strategy. He spearheaded Zespri's innovative development of the world's first 100% home-compostable fruit sticker, a critical step in reducing plastic waste in fresh produce. However, it wasn't just a milestone for Zespri. Shih also chose to open-source the technology, encouraging the entire global produce industry to adopt it. This move demonstrated that he puts collective environmental progress above competitive advantage.

Strategically, Shih unified the brand’s innovation, strategy, marketing, and sustainability functions into a single, integrated growth engine. Internally, he championed the enhancement of capabilities across global teams, which improved both engagement and delivery outcomes. He also dedicated time to mentoring senior leaders across various hubs, building a high-performing, values-driven leadership pipeline.

Meanwhile, as an active member of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) global community, Shih stands out as a leading voice in sustainability-led marketing, purposeful brand building, and inclusive leadership. His contributions reflect the WFA’s broader mission to elevate marketing as a responsible force in both business and society.

Shih’s approach is deeply rooted in the belief that emotionally resonant, authentic storytelling has the power to bridge cultures and connect people. He has steered Zespri’s brand platform to reflect a more human, inclusive tone, one that celebrates growers, communities, and shared purpose.

Prior to joining Zespri in 2017, Shih worked for Unilever (twice) in marketing roles with both food and beverage and personal care. He has also held positions at various other brands, including Syngenta, L’Oréal, British American Tobacco, and United Airlines, with his global experience spanning locations such as Brazil, Singapore, China, and the Netherlands.