Wunderman Thompson North America has appointed Emily Chang CEO of its West Coast region. The role is new and includes oversight of the WPP agency’s offices in Los Angeles, Seattle, and the Swift agency in Portland.  

Chang reports to North America CEO Audrey Melofchik.  

The agency’s clients in the West Coast region include Microsoft, T-Mobile, Qualcomm, Venmo and Snap, as well as automotive brands and DTC companies.  

For Chang, the move marks a return to her LA hometown after nearly a decade of industry service in the Asia Pacific region, most recently as CEO McCann Worldgroup China, where she is credited with boosting capabilities and growing revenues by 40% in less than two years on the job.  

Earlier she served as CMO of Starbucks China, Chief Commercial Officer for InterContinental Hotels Group, Greater China, and was the first executive in China for Apple Retail. She began her career in the U.S. at Procter & Gamble.  

Chang teaches a masters course in Finance at NYU, is a member of the board of directors for SOS Children’s Villages, and recently published a book called “The Spare Room,” that chronicles the more than a dozen abused and marginalized young people she and her family have provided sanctuary for over the years.  

“Emily is a powerhouse leader. She has tremendous vision, unparalleled energy, a pulse on culture and a gigantic heart,” stated Melofchik.