40 Under 40 2023: Joey Gu, H.E.A

Joey Gu

Chief storyteller
H.E.A
Singapore

Today, H.E.A boasts a multi-million annual revenue, and has Asia-wide offices in Singapore, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur. Regional clients she has worked with through the years include Hilton, Marriott, Shangri-La, CapitaLand, Club Med, Frasers Property, Lazada, DBS, StarHub, TenCent, Chubb, and more. Gu has led H.E.A from ground zero, with no external investment, to an agency that is achieving over 32% average year-on-year increases in annual revenue.

Gu has a knack of creating opportunities where others see challenges—whether it’s the pandemic or advancements in generative AI. Pre-pandemic, H.E.A’s  specialisation was in the hospitality industry which was hit the most by Covid-19. Without blinking an eyelid, Gu promptly and successfully pivoted the agency to service other industries such as tech and FMCGs, driving the annual revenue of H.E.A to more than 45% during the pandemic year.

“If you can’t fight it, harness it” is the mantra Gu followed, as she led the development of H.E.A’s proprietary AI marketing platform that leverages generative AI with data analytics to empower creative optimisation, and counters the limitations noted with existing AI solutions.

Further, she grew H.E.A beyond Singapore, with offices in Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur, against the odds that 48% of foreign corporations fail in China within two years. The expansion has increased H.E.A’s profit line by 37%.

Gu also walks the talk when it comes to mental health. She has employed individuals struggling with social anxiety and depression. As a mental wellness proponent, Gu is currently studying to be a certified clinical hypnotherapist to equip herself with the skill sets to help people. She is also a registered management consultant with IMC (Singapore), helping local businesses with brand consultation to rebrand their business through 'Enterprise Singapore' grants.