Starbucks marketer joins McCann Worldgroup as China CEO

McCann Worldgroup China has appointed Emily Chang as CEO, as Ronald Sun steps down after about three years in the role.

Chang has relocated to Shanghai from Seattle, where she was SVP of marketing with Starbucks. Her previous roles include CMO of Starbucks China, chief commercial officer with IHG, and head of Asia retail marketing for Apple (all in Shanghai). Her CV also includes 11 years with P&G.

“[Chang] has an exceptional, vibrant track record of building integrated teams and executing cross-platform programs that put customers at the centre of the experience," Alex Lubar, president of McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific, said in a release. "This is precisely what our clients are looking for in the ever-evolving Chinese marketing ecosystem. This depth of experience coupled with her client-side perspective will prove critical in taking us to the next level in what is one of our biggest and most important markets globally.”

Lubar thanked Sun, who was appointed as co-CEO in late 2017, for his contributions. "His tenure has seen a host of business wins and awards for the agency, [and] we wish him all the best,” he said. The other co-CEO, MIke Zeng, departed in 2019 when Bryce Whitwam was appointed CEO of MRM McCann.

Chang said her client-side time has shown her "what’s possible when we place creativity and innovation at the centre of all that we do".

"This role provides the perfect opportunity to craft what I believe customers demand today: delightful, integrated customer experiences that seamlessly merge online and offline elements," she added. 

“[Chang] is an exceptional addition to our operations across China,” said Harris Diamond, McCann's global chairman and CEO. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience building and managing global brands on the client side that will be critical to the growth of our local, regional and global clients in one of the world’s largest and most dynamic marketing environments.”