Leo Burnett Hong Kong Appoints Alex Lee As CEO

Jarek Ziebinski, CEO and chairman, Leo Burnett Asia Pacific has announced the appointment of Alex Lee (pictured right) as chief executive officer for Leo Burnett Hong Kong.

Speaking about Lee’s appointment, Ziebinski said, “For years, Leo Burnett Hong Kong has been playing an instrumental role behind the marketing success of some of the biggest local and global brands. It is also one of the few agencies that have consistently been recognised locally, regionally and globally for its creativity.”

“These present a strong base for us to drive the evolvement of the agency into a future-facing integrated communications company. Alex’s experience and not to mention robust track record in operational, integrated and digital; as well as regional and global client management, represents the kind of leadership we need to steer the agency to the next level,” he added.

In a career that spanned close to two decades across Malaysia, China and Hong Kong, Lee has a well-rounded set of experience that includes operational management, regional and global client management, digital leadership as well as organisational transformation.

Born and brought up in Malaysia, Lee began his career in direct marketing and CRM, working in a regional marketing consulting firm. He joined OgilvyOne Malaysia in 2001 to run marketing and CRM programs for the likes of Diageo (Guinness and Johnnie Walker), Nestle, DHL in the APAC region where he gained deep experience in data and digital.

During his tenure, his work on these brands led to numerous recognitions in marketing effectiveness and creativity on the global and regional stages. In his seven-year tenure at the agency, he rose through the ranks to become the managing director. He took on responsibility in the broadest sense for all the brand building, creativity, as well as the digital and CRM side of the operation.

In 2009, Lee relocated to Shanghai with Ogilvy & Mather where he was charged with regional responsibilities for clients including IHG, UPS and Dupont. He was also responsible for IBM Growth Markets as regional director and was a key member of the Ogilvy’s IBM Global Digital and CRM Leadership.

Five years later, Lee moved to Hong Kong in a new role with the agency as regional digital director, where he was tasked with building and fortifying digital, social and eCommerce capabilities within Ogilvy & Mather in the APAC region which spans across 33 offices in 15 markets. He was also the chair of Ogilvy’s APAC digital leadership team that helped steer Ogilvy & Mather to be the number one digital agency network across Asia Pacific in 2013 and 2014.

“Leo Burnett Hong Kong is one of our biggest offices in Asia with a strong client roster and proven track record. I am excited to take this office and our clients’ business to greater heights; one of future-facing, digital-focused and effectively-creative partnership that delivers results,” said Lee.