Grey taps ex-JWT Taiwan chief Lin for China
<P>Grey Global Group has named JWT Taiwan chairman Steve Lin as its Greater China chief. </P>
<P>His appointment comes as the agency evaluates the set-up of a wholly-owned operation in China following a split with its 14-year JV partner Citic Guoan, which has announced an alliance with Omnicom's DDB. </P>
<P>"We are setting up a fully-owned enterprise in the short term, but are not closed to domestic partners," said Mike Amour, Grey Global Group chairman and chief executive officer, Asia-Pacific. </P>
<P>"Our JV with Citic will expire in 2007, but this brings the date forward. Over the last 14 years, there have been some introductions [to local clients] by Citic, but these have been relatively little."</P>
<P>Lin - who joins Grey after nine years at JWT Taipei - replaces Dennis Wong. Wong was brought in as China head following the departure of long-serving CEO Viveca Chan, but left the agency earlier this year after just seven months in the role. </P>
<P>Lin will relocate to Shanghai in September, making him the agency's first China chief to be based in the mainland. "Historically, [Grey] has been managed out of Hong Kong and this sends a signal about how serious we are about China," added Amour. </P>
<P>Mark Bainbridge will lead JWT's Taiwan operation. </P>
<P>At Omnicom, meanwhile, the China JV will see Citic Guoan Group's executive vice-chairman Yan Gang take the role of DDB Guoan chairman, with Dick van Motman, president and CEO of DDB China, appointed CEO. <BR>See Opinion 2, page 19</P>
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06/14/2006
Grey Global Group has named JWT Taiwan chairman Steve Lin as its Greater China chief.
His appointment comes as the agency evaluates the set-up of a wholly-owned operation in China following a split with its 14-year JV partner Citic Guoan, which has announced an alliance with Omnicom's DDB.
"We are setting up a fully-owned enterprise in the short term, but are not closed to domestic partners," said Mike Amour, Grey Global Group chairman and chief executive officer, Asia-Pacific.
"Our JV with Citic will expire in 2007, but this brings the date forward. Over the last 14 years, there have been some introductions [to local clients] by Citic, but these have been relatively little."
Lin — who joins Grey after nine years at JWT Taipei — replaces Dennis Wong. Wong was brought in as China head following the departure of long-serving CEO Viveca Chan, but left the agency earlier this year after just seven months in the role.
Lin will relocate to Shanghai in September, making him the agency's first China chief to be based in the mainland. "Historically, [Grey] has been managed out of Hong Kong and this sends a signal about how serious we are about China," added Amour.
Mark Bainbridge will lead JWT's Taiwan operation.
At Omnicom, meanwhile, the China JV will see Citic Guoan Group's executive vice-chairman Yan Gang take the role of DDB Guoan chairman, with Dick van Motman, president and CEO of DDB China, appointed CEO.
See Opinion 2, page 19
