Emily Chang, CEO, McCann Worldgroup
Emily Chang is the CEO of McCann Worldgroup in China. Prior to accepting this role, Emily took a year off to write a book called The Spare Room, the topic of her first TEDx Talk. Before that, she served as CMO for Starbucks China, where she was responsible for marketing, sales, loyalty, customer engagement, and the digital ecosystem (eCommerce, loyalty, payments, partnerships). A strategic business leader with over 20 years of experience, Emily is known for globalization, cross-cultural team leadership, and innovative brand building. Recognized for her ability to drive change and renew organizations, Emily approaches opportunities with an entrepreneurial mindset to establish a culture, set a vision, and build capability. She is known first and foremost as a people leader and team builder. Prior to Starbucks, Emily was the Chief Commercial Officer for IHG, Greater China, where she was responsible for all commercial functions across Greater China and looked after 320+ hotels and an extended team of 5,200 Sales & Marketing members.
Moving to Shanghai in 2011, Emily built a high-performance marketing organization that established the face of Apple Retail in the Asia Pacific. She first developed her General Management, Marketing and Brand expertise at Procter & Gamble, with 11 years experience across all three Global Business Units: Health & Well Being, Beauty & Grooming, and Household Care. Emily sits on the board of SOS Children's Villages and has spoken at select conferences and events, including the Fortune Most Powerful Women's Summit in Hong Kong, C2 in Montreal, and has delivered three TEDx Talks. In her free time, Emily loves to teach, read, and write. She challenges herself to learn a new "big thing" every year, and most of all, Emily enjoys spending time with family: her husband of 20 years, her 11-year old daughter Laini, Holly Berry, their rescued mutt, and Jellybean, their pygmy hedgehog.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
LinkedIn because I enjoy engaging with younger professionals, sharing insight and encouraging passionate and curious future leaders with a lifestyle leadership approach.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I'm currently the CEO of McCann Worldgroup in China. I love this company, which is all about helping brands earn meaningful roles in consumers' lives. Even more, our corporate values are BIG (Bravery - Integrity - Generosity). Love that! Fit with corporate culture is important to me because after my #professionalhalftime when I paused to write a book, I realized I wanted to find a role that challenged my HEAD (big, hairy intellectual challenges), appealed to my HEART (opportunity to coach younger people to success) and SOUL (consistent ethos to my own).
I feel I've found it. I work in a passionately creative place and have the opportunity to instil a joyful sense of belonging to our China office every day! This area of interest spans both my professional and personal lives. The Spare Room is written with the goal of becoming more of a movement, encouraging readers to discover their own Spare Room - their social legacy. Because today, every brand needs to aim higher - by not only making money but also doing good and standing for something authentic and meaningful. Leaders will only be successful in leading these businesses if they have individually identified and intentionally live into their own authentic purpose.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
At McCann, creativity is at the heart of all we do! I love working with people who live and breathe creativity, who are curious about trends and the world around them, and who genuinely love working together. Helping amazing people thrive and develop professionally while working in a place where I can lead with authenticity is about as good as it gets.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
We didn't hire you to become one of us. We hired you because you're you. YOU. So be you and bring the best you to the office every day! – Diana Shaheen, P&G.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
Being clear about what I'd like to leave in this world, to contribute more than I consume. And being able to articulate what I offer, investing in the people and priorities that matter most? This is what I call Social Legacy. My deepest desire is to help others understand and act upon what they believe they are uniquely designed to contribute, as well.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
My 12-year-old daughter. I was giving myself one year to try out a creative project and seeing the book published. Creating and building into strong people on my teams, many of whom are still in roles today and considered dear friends. Delivering strong business results that allowed our company to thrive.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
Through meaningful connections in person, bonding over a common interest or philosophy.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Grit, agility, ability to bridge cultures, curiosity, optimism.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
There's no one destination. Life is not done when we achieve a certain title, pay grade, or family construct. There's so much more to living this one life!
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
Simon Sinek and Brene Brown because they integrate authentic leadership and life philosophy with business acumen and savvy. Fredrik Backman, Isabel Allende, Neil Gaiman, Murakami, and Blake Crouch for their beautiful ideas and fantastic storytelling. Bill Bryson, Jared Diamond, and Randall Munroe for making science understandable and fun.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
I love to read, write and teach. I challenge myself to "one new thing" every year, something new to overcome, from swimming for an hour straight and running a half marathon to playing the Cajon drum and, more recently, writing a book. In fact, each of our family members identifies a challenge each year and undertake it while supporting each other. We believe this keeps us humble and familiar with the feeling of novice hood. It also allows us to keep growing and developing new skills!
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you been managing it?
Positive because I was writing a book during that time. Lockdown was perfect for me. And because my daughter began distance learning, we rented an RV and went for a month #mobilebiosphere trip around Western/Central USA! We socially distanced from everyone, experienced nature at its most solitary and beautiful, and learned so much more about each other... as well as who we are and want to be as a family unit.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
Yes - I've benefitted from many mentors. One of my most significant mentors for over two decades is now my daughter's godmother. On the other hand, I have mentored many people and take the relationship seriously. Mentorship is an agreement between two sides; we should start off clearly with what each would like to contribute and receive from the relationship, and also when we might consider the relationship concluded.
Too often, these things peter out in a less than ideal way, which is a shame when the relationship can be so rich and meaningful. I believe we should start well and with intention and end well, with intention.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
1) Go broad before going deep to understand what you like and what you don't, what kind of leader you prefer to work for, the context in which you best thrive.
2) Don't set a specific end goal or definition of success; rather, aim for a direction and flow with the tides to see where they take you. Coming in new, you're unlikely to know exactly what a great career or job will look like because you're changing, and the world is changing. Instead, lean into what you like and what unique skills you contribute, then see where that takes you.
3) Be curious, ask lots of questions, don't worry about looking smart or proving you're the right person for the job. Rather, in your earlier days, embrace novice hood and know that no one expects you to know everything. They're eager to watch you learn and develop.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
They fall into the dip. Things go well, then they dip and sometimes, maybe always, we have to persevere through that dip to propel ourselves up into the next level - next level job, or next-level capability... Don't give up when things get hard.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are" - said by e.e.cummings.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
Those who prioritize creating brand experiences vs simply pushing out content. Those who understand that we need to engage our customers via an online + offline integrated approach! That can look like gamification, retailtainment, and all kinds of yet-undefined experiences that delight and inspire.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
Success is going to bed having learned something new and having left something better than you found it. It's that simple, magical combination that tells you you're doing it right.