BBDO has appointed Tony Harris as CEO in Hong Kong. He will also have regional management responsibility for the Visa business across Asia.
Harris was formerly CEO of BBDO Japan. Leadership there will be taken up by managing director Hal Ito and general manager Shuhei Ishikawa.
JC Catibog was previously MD in Hong Kong, but has moved on to "other opportunities", according to a spokesperson.
A 30-year industry veteran, Harris has been with BBDO for eight years. He set up BBDO in Japan starting in 2015, which followed a tenure as CEO at BBDO Guerrero, where he worked on the development of 'It’s More Fun In The Philippines' campaign.
Jean-Paul Burge, chairman and CEO of BBDO Asia, touted Harris as a proven agency leader who combines creativity and business acumen. "His focus has always been about great creative thinking as this leads to impressive business results, and he surrounds himself with the very best people to help drive that agenda. I have no doubt this will prove true in Hong Kong,” Burge said in a release.
Harris called his time in Tokyo fulfilling and said he is delighted to leave behind a home-grown management team.