Tech MVP 2021: Jonathan Beh, Matterkind China

Jonathan Beh

Chief executive officer
Matterkind China
China

Upon graduating from the Queen Mary University of London with a Master’s degree in ecommerce engineering, Beh started his media career with Isobar in London. With subsequent stints at Vizeum UK and Mindshare Worldwide, he soon accumulated a deep understanding of both SEM and SEO, taking the lead on key global accounts like LG and establishing the value of search for the business across multiple markets.

Talent-spotted by the head of digital for Mindshare China, Beh relocated to Shanghai to lead the performance marketing discipline for Mindshare in China, growing the team from a staff of seven to 25 in a short period of two years and contributing to 300% growth in the agency’s performance business.

Armed with skills that span SEM, SEO, programmatic, ecommerce and data, Beh was headhunted by IPG Mediabrands as China’s head of Cadreon (now Matterkind) and tasked to scale the practice and business. Since joining the network in 2019, he has been focused on developing platform-centric products to better cater to clients’ needs and also driving the data and technology offering for IPG Mediabrands in China.

Most recently he has been instrumental in establishing joint initiatives with many industry partners, including co-creating innovations in programmatic, jointly developing new industry targeting capabilities, as well as building machine-learning and artificial-intelligence pilots. An example is a project for Tourism Australia in partnership with JD, where a bespoke machin- learning pilot was developed to target high-value travellers in China to deliver increased arrivals and spending.

Among his peers, Beh is regarded as one of the few individuals who can provide a well-articulated view of how data and technology can deliver tangible value. He not only appreciates the intricacies of what marketers face today, but is also able to provide real-world solutions without the jingoistic lens that often plagues the industry.

Beyond innovation, jury members noted Beh's strengths in leadership and collaboration. He's known for relentlessly bringing new ideas to the senior management team, and at the same time galvanising the rest of the agency behind the initiatives through collaboration and cross-team integration. A strong advocate for bringing new talent into media, Beh regularly participates in recruitment and training programmes that encourage young graduates to consider a career in media. In addition, together with his team, he has also put together many workshops to educate those who have newly joined either the agency, clients or the industry on data and tech areas, as well as on emerging topics like machine learning.