MPG China looks outside industry for senior staff

National - The Havas-owned Media Planning Group has strengthened its China operations, making five senior appointments across its strategy and insights divisions. 

William Wu (pictured) has been appointed business development director for the agency's China market. Based in Shanghai, he reports to Paul McNeill, CEO for MPG Greater China. Wu was previously from AXA and recently awarded an MBA from CEIBS.

The appointments will serve across a number of clients including Dell, American Standard and Credit Suisse.

Wayne Zhou has been appointed ROI manager and will oversee the Dell business with Nancy Lay joining in a newly created role as strategy & insights manager. Lay was previously freelance strategist based in Sydney and also worked before for Euro RSCG and Carat.

Kang Shih replaces Cecilia Tang as planning director and has been tasked to lead the Shanghai team on planning duties while Robin Zhang, replaces Zhang Ying as media manager involved in managing the day-to-day account for American Standard.

McNeill said four of the five hires are from outside the media planning sector.

"We have enough people who know how to plan and buy media, but it is tougher for planners to be re-schooled and re-tooled as CRM specialists, senior strategists, ROI analysts and business development staff," he said.

"Many forward thinking clients are looking for thinking from multiple directions and not just the usual one-dimensional approach that many get served on a daily basis."