MSL appoints Greater China CEO

MSL has appointed Jun Xu as CEO of Greater China.

Xu joins from Unilever, where he was vice president of sustainable business and communications for North Asia. 

At MSL he will lead operations and strategic development while further integrating the agency’s business with the greater Publicis Groupe according to its ‘Power of one’ strategy. He will report to Michael Lee, co-CEO of Publicis Groupe Greater China, and work with Guillaume Herbette, CEO of the MSL global network and other senior MSL leaders.

MSL has not had a Greater China CEO since the departure of Faith Brewitt, who sued the company in early 2017, alleging pervasive gender discrimination that prevented her from doing her job. The lawsuit was resolved shortly thereafter. 

In addition, Daisy Zhu, the current China MD, is leaving at the end of March for new pursuits, according to a spokesperson.

Xu has over 30 years of PR experience, including 15 years at DuPont , where he rose to corporate communications leader for Asia Pacific. His career began with Burson-Marsteller in 1993 in Beijing, and he has also worked in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sydney.

In a release, Lee touted Xu as "a second-to-none master when it comes to building brands and reputation", while Herbette said Xu's knowledge of the region and both client and agency experience will prove valuable to clients.

For his part, Xu said he is happy to be returning to the agency side at a "pivotal moment" for the industry. "I am excited to be part of such a dynamic, diverse and talented team and I look forward to working together to drive more measurable growth and impactful business,” Xu said.