Women to Watch 2021: Charlene Ree, EternityX Marketing Technology

Charlene Ree

CEO and founder
EternityX Marketing Technology
Hong Kong

In three years, Charlene Ree has built EternityX from a three-person operation in Hong Kong to a global outfit with more than 50 employees in seven offices and 2,000 campaigns for more than 300 advertisers under its belt. And the company is not her first successful venture.

Ree spotted an opportunity to demystify China's fragmented and complex digital landscape for multinational clients and has driven EternityX's technological development toward that end. The platform focuses on connecting brands with best-fit audiences while solving critical issues involved in cross-border transactions, such as compliance with regulations and transparency with media partners. EternityX assists brands from prospecting to acquisition to retention to engagement to transaction, and boasts clients including Hilton, Sands China, Estēe Lauder, HSBC and Manulife.

Prior to EternityX, Ree in 2009 founded Httpool Asia, a cross-channel advertising network that grew by 50% a year for three years and sold to Sony in 2017.

Ree believes in fostering the right company culture and putting in place the right team members to enable highly efficient transnational business operations. To this end, she implemented the OKR (objectives and key results) management framework from early on to ensure focus on results that matter, transparency, and strategic alignment. She nurtures and empowers young employees into growth engines for the company by involving them in committee meetings where the vision and direction of the company are discussed and determined. This has galvanised many junior employees who went on to take up essential roles and earned respect in the industry.

Often quoted in the industry press and a frequent conference participant, Ree is an established trailblazer who blends strategic acumen with a defining vision. She sees EternityX's role as that of a bridge between China and the rest of the world, one that empowers brands to build true connections with their target audiences by learning their sincere needs and thus delivering lifelong brand value.