Perspectives - Interview with Jonathan Cummings, President, APAC, Landor (WPP)

BUSINESS

How's business?

WPP is the world’s largest creative transformation company, made up of agencies spanning the whole marketing and communications spectrum from media and advertising to brand consulting, design, PR and communications The group has a strong presence in Hong Kong with over 1,500 super talented colleagues working for clients within the HKSAR and further afield across the region I head up Landor, the brand consulting business within the group and the largest brand consulting and design agency in the world The past few years have presented a number of challenges for everyone, but we’ve come through strongly and are well positioned for accelerated growth as Hong Kong rebounds. A significant shift for us was moving everyone into a single campus; a move from nine different locations across the city to one location with 7 floors all connected by an internal staircase and a high proportion of shared space making it a world class hub of creativity. We were thrilled that our achievements have been recognized through multiple awards, many of our businesses (including Landor) won awards for their respective sectors in the Greater China Agency of the Year Awards

As the largest creative team in Hong Kong, we aim to play our full part in shaping a positive future for Hong Kong as a whole, for Hong Kong brands and for brands in Hong Kong.

What is the firm's vision and business strategy?

WPP, the world’s leading creative transformation company, is committed to leveraging the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities We work with the world’s leading brands across almost every sector as well as for NGOs, governments and a number of other types of organisation In order to achieve our aim of continually increasing the positive impact we have, we are continually simplifying our organisation and shaping client teams from across different agencies to fully leverage the talent we have. As the largest creative team in the HKSAR, we are wholly focused on playing our full part in shaping a positive future for Hong Kong and the impact Hong Kong can have on the world.

What are your plans for the firm this year? What do you aim to achieve?

After a few challenging years for Hong Kong as a whole, we feel positive about the prospects in 2024. Hong Kong’s role as a super-connector between China and the rest of the world has never been stronger, and we are seeing high levels of confidence across the business community We have a strong, diverse talent base in Hong Kong, and through 2024, I expect to see that strengthen further as we look to help Hong Kong brands grow at home and across the world, and also international brands win in Hong Kong Our focus in 2024 will be unlocking even more synergy from across the business in service of our clients and solidifying Hong Kong’s role as an international hub.

What, to your mind, has been the most crucial element in the success of your company over the years? What has the firm achieved?

Our business is a relatively simple one We need the best talent, working powerfully together and hand-inhand with our ambitious clients to achieve extraordinary results. In recent years, the company, despite our large size and diversity of brands, has become far simpler and more collaborative. This has allowed us to develop stronger working relationships with our clients as well as ensuring we shape the best possible team for any job. That along with a relentless determination to create extraordinary strategic and creative work has driven the success of the past few years

What's the most exciting business-related news you've heard recently?

There has not been a huge amount of exciting business news in recent times around the world! But I'm thrilled to see Chinese brands continue expanding across the world and setting new standards in product design amongst other things across multiple categories. Likewise, I'm excited that brands from elsewhere in the world continue to work to better understand how to best position themselves for Chinese audience in the face of ever-increasing domestic competition

What are the challenges and opportunities you see in Asia/Hong Kong?

Talent is key to the success of our business, and here in Hong Kong, as elsewhere in the world, we thrive from as diverse a talent base as we can develop So continuing to attract and develop world class talent –within Hong Kong and from around the world is a continual challenge The current perception of Hong Kong (largely incorrect) around the world is a challenge and so there is work to do to re-establish Hong Kong as a top destination for world class talent. I’m excited by the opportunity that is presented by a focus from the Hong Kong government on sectors beyond Finance and Property, such as Innovation & Technology and the Creative Industries.

What's the future of your industry?

I firmly believe that the world can never have enough creativity in it! Our world has many problems to tackle and creativity will help solve a lot Technology will, of course, play an ever more impactful role with generative AI tools developing at pace as well as the ever-increasing importance of robust, secure and innovative date strategies. But people will always be central to our industry and i foresee an exciting future for those who chose to develop their careers in the creative industries.

PERSONAL

How long have you been living in Hong Kong?

I’ve been in Hong Kong for 15 years, moving here in late 2008 from London

What's your favourite place in Hong Kong?

I love being up in the hills with my dogs, or on the beach with my kids (i can’t seem to get the kids up in the hills!).

What would you say is the chief Hong Kong related issue that takes up a lot of your time at the moment?

Talent is key to our business, and so attracting, retaining and developing world class talent is a key priority for me alongside spending as much time as possible with our clients.

What's something you've learned recently that you didn't know before?

I’ve spent a lot of time in Australia this year and although i knew it was huge, i didn’t know until recently that it is wider than the moon!

What is your favourite (non-professional) occupation?

I have always loved sport All sport I’m a lifelong Arsenal fan, but my first love is cricket which i grew up playing in London and I still play here in Hong Kong I served on the Board of CricketHK for six years working to grow the game here across the wider community More recently I've also taken to participation in endurance sports including marathons and triathlons

What is your most marked characteristic?

I am the eternal optimist!

If you had a motto, what would it be?

Pay it forward

About WPP

WPP is the creative transformation company We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities For more information, visit www wpp com

Jonathan Cummings President, APAC, Landor