Leo Burnett Korea promotes Youmi Cho to MD

Leo Burnett Korea has promoted Youmi Cho, currently general manager of Leo Burnett Group Korea to managing director of the agency. Cho (pictured middle), who was also the managing director of Arc Worldwide Korea, a Leo Burnett agency, is taking over the helm from Dong Wook (DW) Kim, who has been with the agency for seven years, and has decided to relocate to Canada with his family.

Cho started working with Leo Burnett in 2002. Over the years, she has led innovative corporate and brand projects for P&G brands as well as led the businesses for Phillip Morris, Diageo and McDonald’s. She is also a member of Leo Burnett Worldwide Global Shopper Marketing Leadership and a member of Regional Digital Marketing Leadership.

In her new position as Managing Director of Leo Burnett Group Korea, Cho will be one of the few females to reach the most senior leadership position within an advertising agency in Korea.

Speaking about her new role, Cho said,” The past few years have seen Leo Burnett Korea focused on transforming into a forward-thinking communications company. We are now recognized as one of the most innovative business partners in this market. As the new managing director, I will continue to work towards strengthening our current positioning; with hard work and a little luck, we hope that Leo Burnett Korea can start shinning not only locally but globally too.”

Said Jarek Ziebinski (pictured right), President, Leo Burnett Asia Pacific “We have DW to thank for leading the agency to where it is in Korea today. In the past two years since I came to the region and started working closely with DW, he has demonstrated strong leadership, keeping the agency stable and on the growth path despite the challenging business environment. As much as we will miss him, we also understand his desire to be with his family in Canada and wish him all the best. Youmi is the perfect candidate for this role, having been with Leo Burnett since 2002, she has also worked closely with DW over the past few years to drive the agency’s business. I am confident about the future of the agency in Youmi’s hands and look forward to the next chapter of growth under her leadership.”

Said Kim (pictured left), “I have had a wonderful tenure with Leo Burnett over the past 7 years that would not have been possible without a great and supportive team – of which I have made many friends and accumulated many good memories. Youmi is a very passionate advertising professional with a strong vision for Leo Burnett Korea, I have no doubt that she will continue to lead the agency to scale greater heights.”

With the transition already underway, Kim will be with the agency until the end of the year while Cho’s promotion will be effective beginning January 2012.