Li Yifei steps up as chief strategic development officer for Publicis Groupe China

Li (pictured), who was appointed country chair for Vivaki China in 2009, will directly report into Jean-Yves Naouri, Publicis Groupe's global COO.

In her current role, Li work with the regional and local partner agencies, Digitas, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia to boost the group's presence in Greater China region.

Prior to Vivaki, Li was a senior advisor at GLG Partners, which was founded in September 1995 by a group of former Goldman Sachs private-client executives, where she managed a leading global hedge fund.

Li was also previously EVP and chief representative of MTV China, and was instrumental to the success of MTV and Nickelodeon in the market. She joined MTV Greater China in 1993 as managing director and executive vice-president of MTV Networks Asia and chief representative of Viacom China.

Last November, Vivaki China was hit by a majar corruption scandal that resulted in the departure of Vivaki Exchange CEO Warren Hui. In April this year, Vivaki China promoted its long-serving GM Dylan He to CEO of Vivaki Exchange.