Mother names new MD and partner for Shanghai

Independent creative agency Mother has appointed Pamela Chen (pictured) as new managing director and partner for Shanghai, reporting to Mother's global CEO Michael Wall. 

Within this newly created role, she will lead the Shanghai office and work alongside executive creative directors and partners Winson Woo and Wanshi Lu. Her responsibilities range from driving the new business strategy through to building relationships with the agency's clients.

Chen joins Mother from her most recent post as director of business development at AKQA in San Francisco. While with the WPP digital specialist, she led significant growth and fostered key partnerships with Apple, Google, Meta, Peet’s, World Food Programme and Uber.  

Chen previously held WPP leadership roles and global positions in digital marketing, media strategy, and brand communications at Ventures, Mindshare, Ogilvy, Possible and Grey.  

Chen’s journey comes full circle with her return to Shanghai. Starting in Silicon Valley, her cross-border work with New Enterprise Associates and Northern Light Venture Capital led her to China where she worked within the world’s foremost centres of innovation.  

Chen said: "As China's dynamic landscape continues to evolve, I am filled with optimism about the prospect of guiding brands towards excellence through Mother’s creative leadership."    

Mother global CEO, Michael Wall, added: "Having Chen join the Mother Family, partnering with the formidable Woo and Lu, will help turbocharge Mother Shanghai. She’ll bring us wisdom, expertise and a little bit of good luck.” 

Don't miss: Mother unveils initiative to limit 'relentless pitching merry-go-round'

Back in June 2022, Mother launched Pitch It Forward, an initiative aimed at limiting the relentless pitching merry-go-round and instead investing its potential profit in creative projects that support its purpose: to Make Our Children Proud.

Pitch It Forward promises to donate Mother's first-year profits from all new retained clients that eschew a full creative pitch and choose to appoint Mother after a chemistry meeting. Pitch It Forward money will be donated to not-for-profit organisations that help inspire future generations with the power of creativity.

Founded in London in 1996, Mother has been striving to break free from the shackles of traditional agencies and be 100% independent. Currently, there are over 500 like-minded people in the agency, with offices across London, New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Berlin.

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