Wunderman China hires Chris Jones as first executive creative director

Jones (pictured) came on board Monday (3 September), after leaving his ECD role at Tribal DDB Shanghai last Friday. He worked at Tribal DDB for 22 months. 

Jones will be based in Shanghai and report to Clement Yip, managing director of Wunderman China Group. He will lead creative teams, nurture talent and drive digital innovation across six Wunderman and Agenda offices with 400 staff members in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

Speaking to Campaign Asia-Pacific yesterday, Jones described himself as a veteran of more than 25 years in marketing communications, including 14 years specializing in the interactive field, as well as five years in Greater China market.

"Having worked in Hong Kong for four years and almost two years in Shanghai, I have a good understanding of the China market," Jones said. "With so many countries that I have worked in, I could bring in a multicultural outlook, which would be helpful to clients to adapt global campaigns to the China market with my personal creative vision—a combination of magic and logic, imaginative and informative."

While traditional advertising emphasises image and buzz, in the digital world, it’s about engagment and messages that are not just sharp but thoughtful and accountable creatively, he added.

A UK native, Jones has worked in London, Paris, Hong Kong, Sydney, Amsterdam and Shanghai for 4A agencies including Euro RSCG, Ogilvy and Tribal DDB. He was won various international creative awards, has served as a judge for awards including the Cannes Cyber Lions and the Australian Direct Marketing Awards and has been a regular speaker at internet marketing events throughout Asia.

Jones brings to Wunderman China Group experience in digital, activation and direct marketing on brands such as Philips, Unilever, IBM, American Express, McDonald’s, Volkswagen, Volvo, Motorola, Yahoo, and other blue-chip clients.

In addition to Jones' appointment, Sunny Hermano was recently appointed general manager of Agenda Shanghai in August.