WPP China CEO Leaves to Focus on Big Data VC Firm

WPP China CEO Bessie Lee is leaving the business after 27 years, to focus on her startup incubator firm Withinlink, which invests in areas such as big data analytics, Internet of Things, social media and mobile advertising. She will be replaced by former GroupM China CEO Patrick Xu.

Lee (pictured) set up Shanghai-based Withinlink in 2015 and has since been splitting her time between the WPP role and running her company. The firm, which recently closed an initial funding round of 55 million yuan (c.$8m), offers start-ups experience in business strategy, company management, HR, legal and compliance management, corporate communications, and access to its network of marketers, venture capitalists, technologists and government partners. Its portfolio includes RabbitPre, which tracks users' digital engagement; and media data exchange platform FugeTech.

Withinlink has twelve staff, including several former execs of WPP, whose CEO Sir Martin Sorrell comments: 'I want to thank Bessie for the many years of commitment to WPP and I am sure many of our colleagues will continue to work with her as she pursues a career as an entrepreneur in China'.

Web site: www.withinlink.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.