PHD China makes three strategy hires

SHANGHAI - PHD China announced three new hires to its strategy unit: Jonah Brown as group strategy director and Linda Hou and Renee Zhang as strategy directors.

According to a statement released by the agency, the hirings were made following Volkswagen’s appointment of the agency for media planning and worldwide buying. Brown, Hou and Zhang will also work on the agency’s other multinational and local clients including Unilever and Amore Pacific. 

Brown is an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience in brand and communications strategy consulting for the Chinese and US markets. He was most recently the automotive strategy head at Mindshare China for clients such as Jaguar Land Rover. 

Meanwhile, Hou was formerly strategy lead at Publicis where she served brands including Cadillac, Buick, Nestle and Cartier. Zhang’s most recent role had been planning director at McCann, and she had also worked with Ogilvy & Mather and BBDO.  

On the new hires, Aaron Wild, CEO of PHD China, said: “As we near the end of PHD China’s best year ever, these new appointments to our China Strategy Unit mean our clients will have true brand stewards on their communications and media planning teams–people who understand brand growth, measurement, and how best to connect with the hearts and minds of the Chinese consumer.”