BBDO deputy chairman Kao resigns

BBDO Asia deputy chairman Tom Kao has resigned after more than a decade at the Omnicom agency. Kao, who leaves the agency in mid-April, told Media: "I joined BBDO in 1996 and it was only the second agency where I had worked. I believe it is in the best interest of BBDO to start a new chapter and for myself both personally and professionally." Kao's resignation follows the departure of regional chief Raymond So last year. "Chris Thomas has taken on the regional running of the region," noted Kao. "But we still have the CEO positions that need to be filled in China and Hong Kong. We are working with Chris (Thomas) to identify the strongest candidates." The agency, he added, had named former Leo Burnett Shanghai creative director Leong Wai Foong as ECD in China. Prior to Burnett, Leong worked at BBDO Singapore.