Donald Chan quits JWT China, tipped to rejoin Leo Burnett China

Chan (pictured) has served as JWT China's CEO since June 2010. He declined to comment on his next move, but an industry source said he will start his new job at LB in early May.

As reported on 3 February, Wei Wei Chen, chairwoman and chief executive officer of LB Shanghai, has announced her resignation after three years with the agency.

JWT China said that there is no immediate plan to replace Chan. Tom Doctoroff, JWT North Asia area director and CEO of Greater China told Campaign that Chan will serve JWT through the transitional period until 6 April.

Tammy Sheu, managing director of JWT Beijing, who came on board in November last year, and Eric Lee, general manager of JWT Shanghai for the last two years, will report directly to Doctoroff.

“We will miss Donald and wish him well in his new endeavours,” Doctoroff said.

Chan has been working in the advertising industry for more than a decade, and is no stranger to Leo Burnett, having worked for Leo Burnett China and Hong Kong from 1995 until 2007 in a number of senior management roles. He relocated to Shanghai as MD in 2002, and was subsequently promoted to assume total Mainland responsibility as national MD.

Prior to joining JWT, Chan departed TBWA/China in February 2010 after 13 months as the head of China operations, a role he assumed after he joined Shanda, a leading interactive entertainment media company, as senior vice-president.

A 20-years plus advertising veteran in Greater China, Chan had led a number of campaigns for multinational clients such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Wrigley, General Motors, Shanghai Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Pernod Ricard, Pfizer Centrum, Intel, and Sony.

Jimmy Liang, deputy MD of LB Beijing, resigned from the agency a month ago after a seven-year stint during which he served as general manager for the Guangzhou office, operations director of LB Shanghai. He helped the agency win the BMW account in 2009.

Reported on 6 February, LB Taiwan took over digital creative and media planning and buying for Coca-Cola and Coke Zero in January, without a pitch.