Claudine Kwek has stepped down as CEO of Omnicom Media (OM) China, effective immediately.
PHD China chief executive Joey Zhao has been appointed chief operating officer of OM China, succeeding Kwek. He will retain his existing role as CEO of PHD China alongside his new responsibilities.
Kwek was promoted to the top role at OMG China in February 2020. She had joined the group in March 2019 from WPP as chief operating officer in a newly created position designed to drive operational excellence across OMD, PHD and data and analytics arm Annalect in China.
In December 2025, Kwek's remit expanded further when she was given charge of Omnicom Media’s China operations following Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG.
Joey Zhao, who takes on the COO role at OM China with immediate effect, has led PHD China as CEO since 2021. Under his leadership, the agency secured new business from Volkswagen Group China and Bosch, while retaining clients like Max Mara and SAIC Volkswagen.
Prior to PHD, Zhao was a partner at a marketing technology-focused investment group and held management roles at the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee's publicity system, in addition to major consulting and law firms, and Fortune Global 500 companies.
Tony Harradine, CEO of OM Asia Pacific, thanked Kwek for growing the business "into a formidable force to be reckoned with" and said Zhao's "deep market expertise, operational acumen, and strong relationships with our clients and teams" made him the right choice to lead OM China's next chapter.
Source: Campaign Asia-Pacific
