40 Under 40 2024: Angela Sy, The 25s

A firm believer that a people-first approach is essential for success, Angela Sy, CEO and founder of The 25s, is disrupting the branding industry in China. Driven by a commitment to her craft, a revolutionary business model, and the desire to give back to employees, Sy has achieved remarkable growth—establishing The 25s as the second-largest branding agency in China in just two years.

Sy's journey is marked by ambition and a drive to make a difference. After graduating from university at 19, she quickly made her mark in the Philippines' media landscape, leading major publications. But China's burgeoning branding scene beckoned, and in 2012, she took the leap. Her rise at Holmes & Marchant was impressive, yet she saw a gap to create an agency that truly valued and served its talent. The 25s was born, built on a foundation of "DTRT"—Do the Right Thing.

The agency's name is a declaration: 25% profit sharing, 25 days annual leave, and 25 weeks parental leave for all employees. These exceptional employee-friendly policies coupled with Sy's sharp business acumen, has helped in employee retention and satisfaction rates, as well as attracted major clients like P&G, PepsiCo, Colgate, Mondelez, and Aldi.

The agency's innovative "extreme efficiency/maximum quality" (EEMQ) model ensures both speed and excellence, resulting in a 76% pitch win rate, all personally led by Sy. In 2023 alone, The 25s had triple-digit revenue growth and high double-digit margins, a remarkable feat in a challenging economic environment. This success, according to The 25s chair Addison James, is a direct result of Sy's leadership: "When Angela discussed her idea for The 25s, and her desire to ‘Do The Right Thing,’ not only could I see the sincere passion she had for this, but that with her at the helm, it would be a game-changing agency."

But Sy’s leadership extends beyond business metrics. She’s a vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, with five out of seven of her leadership team positions held by women and 18% of her staff identifying as LGBTQIA+. Sy also leads a program to support underprivileged design students, offering them internships, employment and in some cases, even housing.

Her commitment to doing the right thing also permeates the agency’s client selection and project focus. She refuses to work with industries she deems harmful, such as cigarettes and hard alcohol, and she is pushing the agency to lead by example on sustainability. Under her guidance, The 25s has adopted environmentally conscious design practices and is actively training its teams to help clients reduce their carbon footprints and material usage. Sy sees this as not just a moral imperative but a business opportunity: Brands that prioritise sustainability can both demonstrate their values and save on costs.

On a personal level, she is a passionate animal welfare campaigner and a member of Paw Pals Animal Rescue, a Shanghai-based animal rescue organisation. Her agency is home to six live-in cats and welcomes numerous staff dogs, including Kuma, her Alaskan Malamute, whom she rescued from a meat truck bound for the dog meat market in 2022.

It's clear that Sy's charisma, combined with her genuine commitment to her team, has created a winning formula. James notes Sy's humility, pointing out that "she often credits her team for the agency’s success." However, "it’s her leadership talent that has brought her agency so far, in such a relatively short period.”

For redefining success in the branding industry and for doing it with radical generosity and people at heart, Sy is a natural fit for Campaign’s 40 Under 40 list.