IPG Mediabrands Greater China COO and creative lead depart

IPG Mediabrands Greater China chief operating officer Penny Chow (pictured left) is departing by end of the month while Jay Lee (pictured right), executive creative director, MBCS Greater China has left the agency, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE understands. 

Both Chow and Lee have been with IPG Mediabrands for nearly a decade. Chow is a distinguished advertising professional with more than two decades of experience. Since joining IPG Mediabrands Hong Kong in 2017 to launch MBCS, she has driven the team to partner with iconic brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, and Disney, earning numerous industry accolades. In 2022, Penny took the helm of IPG Mediabrands Taiwan, transforming it into a dynamic and innovative marketing partner.

She was then promoted to chief operating officer of IPG Mediabrands Greater China last June, overseeing the business operations in Hong Kong including both MBCS and the media team, while maintaining her role as head of the Taiwan office. 

Meanwhile, Lee’s career, spanning over two decades, has seen him work on high-profile accounts including Samsung, 3 Telecom, Hong Kong Airlines, McDonald’s, Wrigley, and Volkswagen. Since joining IPG Mediabrands in 2017, Lee has embraced a data-driven creative approach. His ability to blend precise targeting with creative excellence has established him as a significant creative leader in the industry. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Omnicom Media Taiwan for a statement.

The leadership changes follow the departure of Melinda Po, who stepped down as CEO of IPG Mediabrands Greater China last December.

These moves come as Omnicom announced plans for further headcount reductions, having more than doubled its annual cost synergy target to US$1.5 billion following last year’s acquisition of Interpublic. Of that amount, US$1 billion is expected to come from reduced staffing expenses.

The group aims to achieve US$1 billion in annual savings on what it terms “labour costs” by 2028. These savings are expected to involve a combination of layoffs, shifting roles to lower-cost regions through off-shoring and near-shoring, and outsourcing certain functions to third-party providers.

According to a slide from its fourth-quarter earnings presentation, US$645 million in “labour-related” synergies are anticipated in 2026 alone, increasing to US$920 million by 2027 and reaching US$1 billion in 2028.

Mark your calendars for 24 June! #Content360 Hong Kong returns with a dynamic, one-day event dedicated to pivotal trends—from the silver economies to breakthrough IP collaborations, sports, and beyond. Let's dive into the art of curating content with creativity, critical thinking and confidence!

Related articles:

IPG Mediabrands appoints Zachary Lim to head Singapore
IPG Mediabrands rebrands Rally Worldwide in Malaysia