BEIJING — Edelman has hired advertising industry leader Pully Chau for a newly-created position as Greater China president, PRovoke Media can reveal, overseeing the firm's operations in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. 

Chau joins Edelman from Cheil Worldwide in China, where she spent almost six years, most recently as group CEO since 2017. Her career also leadership roles at advertising agencies Draftfcb and Saatchi & Saatchi, during which she also spent 17 years working on P&G business.

Reporting to Edelman Asia-Pacific CEO Stephen Kehoe, Chau is charged with boosting integration, enhancing the agency’s existing offerings and launching new specialist capabilities to drive growth. The leaders of Edelman’s businesses across mainland China, Hong Kong and Taipei – namely Mark Wang, Adrian Warr and Alexandra Pao, respectively – now report directly to Chau.

“Pully is known in the industry as a game-changer," said Kehoe. "She is the right partner to build Edelman’s future in these unique, high-growth markets that are evolving ahead of the curve. She is a proven business driver, having led large agencies and won substantial client remits at the highest level. Pully is very well connected across Greater China and will be a force multiplier for Edelman in the region."

Chau's arrival continues Edelman's strategy of hiring senior advertising executives, particularly in China, where its mainland operation was previously led by Bates veteran Jeffrey Yu. Yu was succeeded at the start of 2020 by marketing specialist Mark Wang, while another adland transplant, Melinda Po, recently relinquished her position as Edelman China's chief operating officer to return to Ogilvy Advertising China as CEO.

“Nothing beats the excitement of joining the largest PR agency in their quest to redefine the game," said Chau. "With a unified mission to drive fast growth through integration, and by empowering the company’s diverse team of high-flying talent, we are going to take the industry in a new direction."

Edelman's Greater China footprint includes more than 400 employees across offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Taipei, working for such clients as Adidas, Cathay, Ernst & Young, HSBC, HP and Mars.