Dutch agency Energize shuts Shanghai office after five years

Energize opened in Shanghai in 2009, led by co-founder Rogier Bikker, who said marketers in China were looking for independent agencies that deliver tangible results, instead of "bloated views, clicks and likes".

Campaign Asia-Pacific was unable to reach either Bikker or Klaas Weima, founder and managing director, in time for publication, but reached out directly to multiple ex-staff members for verification. An industry source with connections to the agency said the principles may be back in Amsterdam. The agency's Shanghai switchboard number is also out of service.

The office served brands including Heineken, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the Netherlands Consulate in Shanghai during its five-year tenure. Poor business results may be behind the closure, as the office has been maintaining around 10 staff in Shanghai for the past few years. The total number of employees is stated as 35 in our database, but according to another anonymous Dutch source, this included staff in Amsterdam as well.