What's the best part of your job?
Living in Shanghai. It's like experiencing an epic unfold at fast-forward. The people are ambitious, humorous, with razor-sharp practicality and high-level conceptual thinking.
And the worst?
Budgets. At my core, I'm an adguy, a strategist who also gets a big kick out of great creative. But, I can calculate a revenue conversion rate pretty quickly.
Your all-time favourite film and why?
Ang Lee's 'Eat, Drink, Man, Woman', a very sensitive portrayal of Chinese family dynamics.
Favourite book or CD?
Frank Sinatra's The Capitol Years Collection. Silky voice. Timeless cool.
Favourite restaurant and dish?
The Grand Hyatt's One Harbour Road Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong. No particular dish, then again, I'm a burger-and-pizza lover at heart.
Do you have a favourite gadget?
The DVD drive in my laptop.
Favourite fashion designer?
I like Zegna's soft materials.
What are your hobbies?
Does learning Mandarin count? For a Westerner, I'm a ruthless ping pong player. I play tennis one a week or so. I studied piano seriously when I was younger. Also sang in cappella groups.
Where did you go on your vacation?
Xinjiang, China.
Who would play you in a movie?
I'd like a young Paul Newman, but central casting would say Ben Stiller.
How would you title your movie?
Misadventures of an American Adman in China.
Finish this line, I wish I could ... know what happens to ad people after they hit 50. Will they make me buy a boat?
